It’s the most low-stakes event at the most high-stakes tournament in golf.
On Wednesday afternoon at Augusta National, players step onto a pint-sized course with wedges, putters—and sometimes toddlers in tow. The Par 3 Contest is lighthearted, adorable, and filled with more hole-in-ones than an entire PGA season.
But win it? That’s when things get weird.
Because no Par 3 winner has ever gone on to win The Masters in the same week. Not once. Not in 60+ years. And in 1990, Nick Faldo came one bold swing away from being the guy who almost did—and didn’t.
The Curse That Shouldn’t Be Real (But Kind of Is)
Let’s get this out of the way: golf is already a mental maze. Add superstition? You’ve got yourself a full-blown haunted maze in Augusta, Georgia.
The Par 3 Curse is exactly that—a legend, a jinx, a streak so unbroken it’s hard to ignore. Since the contest began in 1960, no one who’s won it has gone on to put on the green jacket four days later. Not one.
Want the icing on the psychological cake? Over 20 Par 3 winners didn’t just fail to win The Masters… they missed the cut entirely.
So yeah. You can see why some players tank their score on purpose, hand off tee shots to their kids, or skip the whole thing altogether.
Raymond Floyd Tried to Break It. Faldo Didn’t Let Him.
In 1990, Raymond Floyd shot the lights out at the Par 3 Contest. Then he played like a man possessed all week. By Sunday, he was four strokes ahead with six holes to play.
If there was ever a time for the curse to crack—it was right there.
But then came Faldo.
Methodical, ice-cold, and quietly aggressive, Nick Faldo played the final stretch like a chess master squeezing his opponent off the board. Birdie on 13. Another on 15. A clutch up-and-down on 18.
They went to a playoff. Floyd blinked. Faldo didn’t.
The green jacket went to the Englishman—again. And the curse? Very much alive.
➤ Nick Faldo didn’t even win the Par 3 that week. But if he had, this story might’ve been very different.
Why Hasn’t Anyone Done It?
It’s not like Par 3 winners are hacks. Plenty of them are top-tier players. Some even come close.
Chip Beck finished second in 1993 after winning the Wednesday contest.
Rickie Fowler won the Par 3 in 2024. He finished tied for 30th in the tournament.
Even legends like Tiger Woods avoid winning it—on purpose. When asked if he’d like to win the Par 3, Tiger’s answer was simple: “No.”
Honestly, can’t blame him.
Faldo’s Masters Wins? All Came Without Par 3 Distractions
Across his three Masters victories—1989, 1990, and 1996—Faldo never lifted the Par 3 trophy. He played in the contest plenty of times. He even holed some eye-popping putts and nearly aced a few shorties. But he never took it too seriously.
And maybe that’s the point.
Faldo approached the week with the discipline of a surgeon. One task at a time. No emotional highs on Wednesday. No distractions from the job at hand.
He treated the Par 3 Contest like what it was meant to be: fun. Not fate.
And when Sunday rolled around? That focus paid off. Every. Single. Time.
Some Players Lean Into the Myth. Others Try to Break It.
This curse isn’t just a running joke—it changes how players behave.
Andy North once birdied five of his first six holes in the contest… then dunked three in the water on purpose. His dad was furious. North just didn’t want the jinx.
Others? They’ve had enough of the curse talk.
Billy Horschel, a proud Red Sox fan, believes curses are made to be broken. And Pádraig Harrington, who’s won the Par 3 three times, openly chases the double win.
Players now use caddies or family members to hit shots. A legal loophole that disqualifies them from winning—while still letting them soak in the vibes. It’s strategic superstition. A win-win, as long as nobody keeps score.
So Why Hasn’t It Happened Yet?
Honestly? It might just be mental load.
Golf already requires total focus. And adding “You’re trying to break a 60-year curse” to your pre-shot routine isn’t exactly freeing.
The moment you win the Par 3, everyone reminds you that you’re now cursed. It’s media fodder, fan chatter, and internal doubt rolled into one. Not great for confidence heading into Amen Corner.
Plus, the contest isn’t just short—it’s weird. Different yardages. Family tagging along. Cameras everywhere. It’s a mood shift from tournament mode.
That change in rhythm? It might just be enough to throw off the best-laid Masters plans.
Could It Ever Be Broken?
Of course. Statistics say it’s possible.
Eventually, someone will walk off the ninth green on Wednesday with the crystal bowl… and put on the green jacket four days later.
But here’s the twist: when that happens, it’ll be someone who can totally ignore the noise.
They won’t care about the curse. They won’t even think about it. They’ll play their game, stick to their prep, and compartmentalize the Par 3 Contest into what it was meant to be—a bit of fun before the real battle begins.
Until then?
The smartest move might just be what Nick Faldo did: enjoy the contest, make a few kids smile, and avoid the leaderboard like a triple-bogey bunker.
Because at Augusta, winning the Par 3 still feels like the most dangerous way to start your week.
“I birdied five of my first six… then hit three in the water on purpose.” — Andy North