Jordan Spieth and Scottie Scheffler can't win Masters Par 3 contest after breaking same rule

Jordan Spieth was among several golfers unable to win the Masters Par 3 contest on Wednesday after letting a family member take a shot.

The event takes place every year on the eve of the tournament with golfers descending on the smaller course with their loved ones. Spieth and Rickie Fowler were grouped and let their children run riot, with the former letting his son, Sammy, take a tee shot.

As a result, Spieth’s card was no longer valid. Par 3 tournament rules stipulate family members and friends are more than welcome to take a shot but the golfer’s scorecard cannot be submitted. Tournament favourite Scottie Scheffler also ruled himself out of the running after letting his sister Sara take a putt.

Grayson Murray was another on Wednesday who was happy to forgo the tournament and took shots in turns with his fiancee, Christiana. Bubba Watson let his daughter drain a 10-foot putt on one hole and a 30-foot monster on another and was also happy not to win the contest.

It’s commonplace for many of the golfers to let their ‘caddies’ for the day contribute and feel involved before the real work begins on Thursday. But even if they don’t, a fair few golfers still avoid handing in their cards.

The Par 3 Contest curse is quite well known within Augusta – and players take it very seriously. Gary Woodland, the 2019 US Open Champion, is playing in his eighth Par 3 contest. In his previous seven competitions, he has never handed in a card. This is because the winner of the Par 3 Contest has never once gone on to win the Masters. This is a possible explanation for why so many are relaxed about the competition and not too fussed about winning it.

Jordan Spieth let his son Sammy take a tee shot

Winners do earn a prize – a crystal pedestal bowl trophy – so it’s not just bragging rights on the line for those wanting to compete. And among those willing to risk the curse on Wednesday was Fowler himself. The PGA Tour star carded a strong 5-under round.

Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods opted not to play in the competition altogether, instead focusing on their buildup. McIlroy himself arrived on Tuesday, much later than many other players. The Northern Irishman competed in the Valero Texas Open, finishing third, before heading home to Florida for a day and then jetting up to Georgia.

The Masters is the one major currently evading McIlroy, and speaking at his press conference on Tuesday he said he’s trying not to force the issue. He said: “I just drove in probably 30 minutes ago, and, yeah, if I cast my mind back to 18-year-old Rory and I’m driving down Magnolia Lane for the first time, how would I feel and I think, it’s just always trying to go back to being grateful and feeling incredibly lucky that you can be a part of this tournament and you get to compete in it every year.

Thankfully, I’ve improved a bit since my first start here, and I feel like I’ve got all the tools to do well this week. But, again, to bring those tools out, I think one of the most important things is to enjoy it and smell the – I guess not the roses, the azaleas along the way.”