Masters Par-3: Did Rickie Fowler curse his chances at Augusta National?
Fowler took home the Masters Par-3 title on Wednesday at Augusta National, but did he forfeit his shot at a Green Jacket?
The Masters Par-3 contest, held annually on the Wednesday before Round 1 of The Masters Tournament, is a tradition that fans and players adore.
Rickie Fowler won this year’s contest with a 5-under 22 on Augusta National’s par-3 course. He played alongside Jordan Spieth and Fred Couples. Little Sammy Spieth and Fowler’s daughter Maya stole the show on Wednesday as they were the center of attention.
Swinging with the Spieths ❤️pic.twitter.com/DZ1vczlPOT
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) April 10, 2024
This fun-filled round is about spending time with family. However, winning the par-3 contest isn’t at the top of the player’s list of things to achieve at Augusta National.
Since it began in 1960, no one who won on Wednesday has gone on to win Sunday. Multiple Masters champions have won the Par-3 Contest, but never the same week they donned their Green Jacket.
There have been six Par-3 winners who recorded Top 5s that week, per golf stat guru Justin Ray. The two best finishers were Ray Floyd in 1990 and Chip Beck in 1993 who both ended the tournament in second place.
Rickie Fowler is the winner of #TheMasters Par 3 Contest.
— Justin Ray (@JustinRayGolf) April 10, 2024
Six winners of the Par 3 have gone on to finish in the top-5 that week in the Tournament.
Best finishes: 2nd by Ray Floyd in 1990 and Chip Beck in 1993.
So, did Fowler ruin his shot at a Green Jacket in 2024 by winning, or will he break the curse?
Fowler has a Players Championship under his belt but has fallen short in all four majors. He has recorded a T3 or better in each of the four majors since he started playing them in 2009.
In 2014, Fowler finished T5 or higher in all four major championships. The 35-year-old recorded a T8 at the PGA Championship in 2021.
Most recently, he led heading into the final day of the 2023 U.S. Open before falling short to Wyndham Clark on Sunday. He would settle for a T5 that week.
Maybe since Fowler has come close multiple times on these big stages, the former Oklahoma State Cowboy can reverse the curse.
Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. For more golf coverage, be sure to follow us @_PlayingThrough on all major social platforms. You can also follow her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.