It’s the pre-tournament tournament no one wants to win, such is the superstition that very few winners of the Par 3 contest go on to win the Masters themselves. One exception to this is Tom Watson who won both in 1982 and as he stopped competing in the main tournament two years ago he duly helped everyone by winning the Par 3 event on Wednesday. The 68-year-old and fellow legends Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player all produced superb performances to the delight of the patrons at Augusta National, with the group a combined 12 under par for the traditional nine-hole event.

Watson, Masters champion in 1977 and 1981, was in inspired form as he birdied six of the first eight holes and made a tricky three-foot putt for par at the last to snatch a one-shot win over England’s Tommy Fleetwood and Belgian Thomas Pieters.

South African Dylan Fritelli  scored the first hole in one of the Tournament followed by Jack Nicklaus’ caddie, his grandson Gary.