Nico Echavarria claimed a play-off victory in The Masters Par-3 contest at Augusta Nationwide, as Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler featured forward of the opening main of the 12 months.
Echavarria and JJ Spaun registered 5 birdies every of their bogey-free 22s to complete high of the leaderboard on the annual Wednesday occasion, with each gamers then exchanging pars on the primary additional play-off gap.
The gamers returned to the ninth gap for a 3rd time, the place Echavarria fired his tee shot to 3 ft and made a profitable birdie as Spaun – who misplaced a play-off to McIlroy in The Gamers final month – needed to accept second after a closing bogey.
Echavarria – making his Augusta Nationwide debut – is now trying to turn out to be the primary participant to win Par-3 Contest and The Masters in the identical week, whereas three gamers fired holes-in-one throughout a memorable competitors.
“It feels awesome,” Echavarria mentioned. “Hopefully we change the tradition! We’ll see about that, but we had a blast out there. It feels incredible.”
2023 Par-3 champion Tom Hoge registered a hole-in-one on the fourth gap, as Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley and five-time main winner Brooks Koepka each made aces on the sixth gap.
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USA Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley made a hole-in-one on the Masters Par-3 Contest and celebrated in fashion together with his household
England’s Tyrrell Hatton completed a shot off the tempo in third, with former Masters champions Bubba Watson and Mark O’Meara two strokes again in tied-fourth alongside Davis Riley, Matt McCarty and Laurie Canter.
Former world No 1 Justin Rose and Rasmus Hojgaard posted two-under 25s to complete inside the highest 10 alongside US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau, with Sir Nick Faldo a part of the group on one underneath.
Solely 20 gamers carded an official whole, with lots of the discipline not registering their scores after letting wives, companions, pals, kids and even grandchildren take photographs for them.
McIlroy featured alongside his daughter Poppy, who obtained one of many loudest cheers of the day for holing a long-range putt on the ninth gap, whereas Tommy Fleetwood’s son Frankie left the gamers in stitches following his spectacular interview on Sky Sports activities.
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Rory McIlroy’s daughter Poppy holed an enormous putt on the ultimate gap of the Par-3 Contest, sparking wild celebrations from Shane Lowry
Consideration now turns to the match itself, the place Scheffler seems to turn out to be the primary back-to-back winner of The Masters since Tiger Woods and McIlroy has one other alternative to finish the profession Grand Slam.
When is The Masters reside on Sky Sports activities?
Sky Sports activities Golf will likely be displaying document hours of reside protection from the 2025 contest, together with extra motion over the ultimate two rounds than earlier years. Wall-to-wall protection from the match begins at 2pm on Thursday, with Featured Group motion and common updates till the worldwide broadcast window begins at 8pm.
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Sky Sports activities is bringing you extra Masters protection than ever earlier than as Scottie Scheffler makes an attempt to defend his title and declare a 3rd Inexperienced Jacket
The identical timings will apply on Friday, whereas a brand new addition to this 12 months’s protection sees a Masters build-up present reside from 3pm over the weekend forward of full protection beginning at 5pm, masking all of the motion till after the shut of play.
Sky+, Sky Q and Sky Glass will present loads of bonus feeds and assist you to observe gamers’ progress by way of varied elements of Augusta’s well-known format, together with Amen Nook and extra.
Who will win The Masters? Watch all through the week reside on Sky Sports activities. Stay protection of the opening spherical begins with Featured Teams on Thursday from 2pm on Sky Sports activities Golf. Get Sky Sports activities or stream with no contract on NOW.
