When the best Masters shot was the only shot this am hit all week
3/31/2022 | by AmateurGolf.com Staff
see also: The Masters Tournament, Augusta National Golf Club
The Par 3 Contest is back after a 2-year break; in 2018 it produced a moment that Jack Nicklaus ranked as his No. 1 Masters memory
Nicklaus' Masters playing career spanned 60 years, from 1959 when he competed as an amateur to 2019 when he last played in the Par 3 Contest. But his No. 1 Masters memory involved a shot he didn't even hit.
"I was just trying to hit it on the green, just trying to hit a good shot," G.T. said in a TV interview behind the green. "This is probably my favorite week of the year. This is a special tournament. Golf is a sport that I love, and for that to happen is just unbelievable."
It was his first-ever hole in one.
The next video shows the replay, as well as G.T.'s amazing reaction (starting with a Tiger-like club twirl) as he watches the shot creep back toward the hole and eventually go in:
Listen in as @garyplayer narrates Gary Nicklaus Jr.'s hole-in-one on No. 9 of the Par 3 Contest. #themasters pic.twitter.com/9NTARoy3gE
— The Masters (@TheMasters) April 4, 2018
It would be the only shot G.T. would hit all week, and it was probably the best moment of the 2018 Masters, though the champion Patrick Reed might beg to differ.
The elder Nicklaus definitely did not beg to differ:
Where, Tom Rinaldi, does this moment rank for me among @TheMasters memories? No. 1 ☝️ What does it mean? Everything. And certainly enough to make this old man cry. What a day! @espn pic.twitter.com/n7wgLOSLoZ
— Jack Nicklaus (@jacknicklaus) April 5, 2018
To cap off the day, Watson won the Par 3 Contest at 6 under par, while Nicklaus shot 4 under and Player 2 under.
About the The Masters
One of Golf's four professional majors traditionally invites amateurs who have reached the finals of the US Amateur, or won the British Amateur or the US Mid Amateur. Also included are the winners of the relatively new Asia Pacific Amateur and Latin ...
Most Popular Articles
2025 PGA TOUR Q-School Guide: Sites, Scores, and Who Advanced
Dec 5, 2025Second Stage is complete and Final Stage awaits at Sawgrass — follow every Q-School leaderboard and the players still chasing
2025 LPGA TOUR Q-Series: Final Qualifying Stage FINAL SCORING
Dec 8, 2025Helen Briem earns medalist honors, 31 players headed to the LPGA next year
2025 PGA TOUR Q-School Final Stage: Ewart Leads Five New TOUR Card Winners
Dec 14, 2025A.J. Ewart topped Final Stage at TPC Sawgrass, leading five players who secured PGA TOUR membership for 2026.
Australian Open at Royal Melbourne: Preview, amateur bios, and how to watch
Nov 30, 2025Rory McIlroy headlines one of the championship's top fields in years - at least four amateurs will have their chance at glory
Inside Gil Hanse’s Restoration of Baltusrol’s Upper Course: A Return to Tillinghast’s
Dec 11, 2025Renowned architect Gil Hanse reveals how he brought Baltusrol’s Upper Course back to life by honoring A.W. Tillinghast’s original