• The Masters Par-3

Harrington claims hat-trick as Par-3 event is abandoned

ESPN staff
April 4, 2012
Padraig Harrington's sons Ciaran and Patrick helped caddie for their dad in the traditional Masters curtain raiser © PA Photos
Enlarge

ESPN.co.uk will be providing in-depth coverage of The Masters and you can follow the action as it happens right here

The Masters Preview
Course Guide: The 18 wonders of Augusta
The Betting Bunker: Rory ready for redemption

Padraig Harrington and Jonathan Byrd won the traditional curtain-raiser at The Masters, but many players failed to finish their rounds after the Par-3 contest was abandoned due to heavy rain at Augusta.

Harrington, accompanied on the course by his sons Patrick and Ciaran, took the clubhouse lead on five-under, but he was joined by Byrd, who birdied the ninth to take a share of the lead after posting a score of 22.

Play was suspended after the club's weather-warning sirens went off, with players and patrons asked to clear the course. It comes after heavy thunderstorms knocked down trees on the course on Tuesday night.

Harrington and Byrd were confirmed as joint winners, meaning Harrington is the first man to win the Par-3 contest three times, having won the event in 2003 and 2004. He will now bid to become the first player to win The Masters after winning Wednesday's curtain raiser.

Defending champion Luke Donald faltered in 2011, winning last year's Par-3 contest only to come up short in the main event. The world No. 1 opted to swerve the event this year.

Donald and Tiger Woods were two stars notable by their absence on Wednesday, but with 13 Masters titles between them, the trio of Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player delighted the crowds before play was brought to an abrupt halt.

Lee Westwood and Thomas Bjorn had television presenters Ant and Dec carrying their bags, while Bjorn finished with a hole-in-one.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
ESPN staff Close

ABOUT COOKIES

To help make this website better, to improve and personalize your experience and for advertising purposes, are you happy to accept cookies and other technologies.

More Info Here Cookie Choices