Masters 2011: Donald wins par-three event at Augusta

  • Published
Luke Donald
Image caption,

Donald is among the favourites to win the Masters

England's Luke Donald had the dubious honour of winning the traditional par-three tournament in Augusta, the precursor to the Masters.

No player has ever won the nine-hole, par-three event and a Green Jacket in the same year.

World number four Donald carded a five-under-par total.

Former Masters champions Ray Floyd and Angel Cabrera finished one shot back, while 1980 champion Craig Stadler had the lone ace.

"If I believed in jinxes I wouldn't play in it," said the 33-year-old Donald. "I see it more as a challenge. Somebody is going to break that record and hopefully it's me.

"Nobody thought a 63 was possible here until Nick Price did it - and I see it as good preparation. You're holing putts, controlling the spin.

"I'm not really superstitious. I played with Tim Clark, who's a former winner of the par three, and he was asking when I was going to start hitting it in the water, but I almost holed it at the last."

In the 51 years the event has been staged since Sam Snead won the inaugural contest in 1960, no par-three winner has gone on to victory in the Masters the same year.

Floyd came within a whisker of ending the jinx in 1990 but lost in a play-off with Nick Faldo in the main event.

More on this story

Around the BBC

Related internet links

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
Trending Now