IT MIGHT be an omen of things to come but the records, and aces, were falling everywhere during the traditional par 3 contest at Augusta National.
A record nine aces were holed in the mostly for fun event that is comprised of Masters competitors, past champions and honorary invitees.
Jason Day had his three year old son Dash (pictured) as his caddie and didn’t manage to grace the upper leaderboard or add to his hole in one tally.
That’s probably just as well as nobody in the 57 year history of the event has won the par 3 and gone on to wear the Green Jacket.
The dubious distinction went to Amercia’s Jimmy Walker, who carded an amazing eight under par 19 in the nine hole event to break the record of 20 previously held by Art Wall (1965) and Gay Brewer (1973).
Walker’s round included an ace on the second hole and six birdies, and he was hoping the fine touch would help him break the winners’ curse.
I think we’ll do it,” Walker said. “I’ve been playing pretty well. … I’ve been feeling good. And I feel good coming into this week.”
Eighty year old Gary Player certainly stirred the large crowd when he aced the seventh for a record fourth hole-in-one of his Masters career. That beat another benchmark, bettering Jack Nicklaus as the previous oldest player to achieve the feat.
Justin Thomas and Rickie Fowler also put in a memorable display, with successive holes in one on the fourth hole.
Andy Sullivan, Zach Johnson, David Lingmerth, Smylie Kaufman and Webb Simpson were the other golfers notching aces. The previous tournament record was five.
Video of all 9 Masters aces
Watch the record-setting collection: all nine holes-in-one from today’s Par 3 Contest. #themastershttps://t.co/PcFbOXHKr7
— Masters Tournament (@TheMasters) April 6, 2016