As in the previous year (then in training), the Austrian golf star managed a hole in one in the immediate run-up to the US Masters in Augusta. Thanks to this feat, Straka took second place behind Rickie Fowler in the traditional “warm up” for the 88th edition of the first major of the year, the par-3 contest. The nine-hole event takes place every year on Wednesday.
Straka cheered exuberantly about his “ace”, which you can see here (and also hugged his wife Paige, among others. The par-3 contest, which was not played on the actual Masters course, was played on nine holes. Fowler was defeated by accompanied by his wife Allison as caddy and his daughter Maya in tow, and finished the course, five under par with 22 strokes. Straka, JT Poston (USA) and Santiago de la Fuente (MEX) each finished two strokes behind in second place.
Third time in Augusta
Maybe it’s also an advantage that Straka didn’t win. Since the warm-up event was first held in 1960, no par-3 contest winner has gone on to win the first Grand Slam tournament of the year.
Straka is taking part in the Masters in Augusta for the third time, the only major that is always held at the same venue. After ranks 30 and 46, the goal is to clearly improve his position, as he already achieved two top major results last year with second place at the British Open and seventh place at the PGA Championship. The Viennese started his tournament on Thursday (tee-off at 3:36 p.m. CEST).
