Grandson's Par 3 ace Jack Nicklaus' best Masters moment

As tears streamed down his face, Jack Nicklaus left the tee box and walked toward the No. 9 green on Augusta National’s Par-3 Course .

With applause echoing through the Georgia pines, the six-time Masters champion heard a voice from a nearby press tower.

Photos: Jack Nicklaus' grandson makes ace during 2018 Par-3

“Curtis Strange turns and shouts, ‘Where does this rank on your Masters list?’” Nicklaus said.

Without saying a word, Nicklaus held up one finger.

It’s been a year since GT Nicklaus, one of Jack’s 22 grandchildren, left his mark at Augusta National. Entering the 2018 Par-3 Contest, the 15-year-old had never hit a hole-in-one. He had also never caddied for his granddad at the Masters.

“I always dreamed of caddying at the Par-3 Contest,” said GT, who won’t return as caddie this year. “I wanted to since I was 6.”

However, with more than 20 cousins also coveting the role, GT and his younger sister, Nina, waited. They waited as other family members took their turn hitting from No. 9 — the traditional hole where caddies take their shot at glory. Prior to GT, all but one cousin — NFL tight end Nick O’Leary — failed to clear Ike’s Pond. O’Leary, at 6-foot-3-inches and 253 pounds, blasted his shot over the green.

“None of my cousins hit the green,” said GT, laughing. “So that was my main goal.”

But the freshman from Oxbridge Academy near Palm Beach, Fla., had foreshadowed the outcome Tuesday evening. As GT and his father, Gary Nicklaus, left Augusta National, the teenager turned and asked, “What if I hit my first hole-in-one tomorrow?”

“I wasn’t sure how to respond,” Gary said. “I just told him, ‘Don’t get your hopes up.’”

After all, Gary understands the difficulty of hitting a hole-in-one.

It took GT’s father 47 years before earning his first ace. And although Jack has numerous holes-in-one, it took until he was 75 before making one at Augusta National during the 2015 Par-3 Contest.

Knowing cell phones aren’t permitted at the Masters, Gary went to an Augusta-area Best Buy and purchased a camera with video technology before Wednesday’s event. For eight holes, he walked with other patrons before reaching the massive gallery behind No. 9.

Although the hole was engulfed with onlookers, Gary inched his way toward the green when he noticed a spectator leaving their seat.

“They said I could take that chair,” Gary said. “I had a perfect view from behind the green.”

As GT prepared to hit Jack’s 47-degree wedge, Gary started to film.

“I’m videoing and GT’s ball hits the green,” Gary said. “I think, ‘Man, this might be really good.’”

As the ball trickled backward toward the pin, the steady applause increased in decibels as Gary multi-tasked between watching GT’s shot and stabilizing the footage.

“I’m looking up and down, up and down, up and down,” Gary said. “I don’t want to mess up the video, but I also can’t stop watching the ball. Then, boom, it falls in the hole.”

One hundred and 12 yards from Gary, his son jolts both arms into the Augusta air, while Jack unsuccessfully fights back tears. Tom Watson and Gary Player join the Nicklauses in celebration.

“If I ever feel like I’m having a bad day, I take myself back to No. 9 tee box and remind myself of that moment,” GT said. “It was something that I’ll never forget. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime kind of thing.”

The high school freshman gave the ball to his grandmother, Barbara.

By 8 p.m. that evening, GT had 227 text messages and more than 1,500 new followers on Instagram. But beneath his Instagram profile, there’s no link to the YouTube video of his hole-in-one — which has more than 300,000 views. Instead, there are two videos of him singing cover versions to popular songs: “Happier” by Ed Sheeran and “One Day” by Matisyahu. On one track, GT plays piano; the other he’s strumming a guitar.

As much as GT craves becoming a professional golfer, the teenager has learned to balance his passion for music. However, when asked if he could pick winning the Masters or a Grammy, he didn’t hesitate.

“The Masters,” GT said. “But people ask me all the time, ‘Do you want to pursue golf or music?’ To be honest, I don’t think there has to be only one. They’re both art. They’re both performing. When I go to the golf course, I view it as playing a five-hour set list.”

Jack, Gary and GT each admit April 4, 2018, is their favorite day in Masters history. During a news conference after hitting the ceremonial first tee shot to start Thursday’s first round, the 18-time major champion didn’t shy away from his feelings on what happened the day before.

“I didn’t want to be disrespectful because six green jackets is pretty good,” Nicklaus said. “But that’s about yourself. When something happens with your children or your grandchildren, that’s far more special to you. And so yesterday, I said, was the greatest day I’ve had at Augusta National.”

A year later, his opinion hasn’t changed.

“It’s still the best day I’ve ever had at the Masters,” Jack confirmed.

After GT’s ace, Augusta National created a commemorative plaque and gave it to the eldest Nicklaus. Inside the frame is a collage of photographs matted on green felt, from GT leaping in the air to GT putting his arm around his granddad. Upon receiving the keepsake, Jack called Gary to see if GT would be interested in having it.

“I said, ‘Absolutely,’” Gary recalled.

Neither Jack nor Gary mentioned the gift to GT until his 16th birthday on Sept. 29. At that point, Jack wrote a note alongside the photographs and presented it to his grandson.

“It’s the most meaningful gift I’ve ever received,” GT said. “It means everything to me.”