THE MASTERS: Wallace looks to erase Par-3 curse

AUGUSTA, United States: England’s Matt Wallace defeated Scotland’s Sandy Lyle in a playoff to win Wednesday’s Par-3 Contest on the eve of The Masters and risk the winner’s curse at Augusta National.

Wallace, a Masters debutante who turns 29 on Friday, also achieved a Masters milestone with the 100th all-time hole-in-one in Par-3 Contest history, which dates to 1960.

Now the world number 36 golfer wants to erase the Par-3 curse, with no Par-3 Contest winner having ever won the Masters the same week, and become the first player to win his Masters debut since Fuzzy Zoeller in 1979.

“Guess I just I wanted to win this,” Wallace said. “I want to break history somewhat.”

Wallace kept Lyle, the 1998 and 1999 Par-3 winner, from matching the record three contest titles held by Ireland’s Padraig Harrington.

Playing in the final group, Wallace aced the 120-yard eighth hole for the day’s fourth hole-in-one, then parred the ninth hole to match 61-year-old Lyle, the 1988 Masters winner, on five-under 22, and won the playoff with a birdie.

The light-hearted event saw children and families and friends serve as caddies in a relaxing affair before the showdown begins on Augusta National’s par-72 layout.

Thai LPGA sisters Ariya and Moriya Jutanugarn served as caddies for compatriot Kiradech Aphibarnrat. Former world number one Ariya is ranked third in the world.

American Mark O’Meara, the 1998 Masters champion, aced the 130-yard fifth hole alongside two Masters favourites, Americans Dustin Johnson and Brooks Koepka.