Harrington, Byrd win storm-shortened Par-3 Contest

The Par-3 Contest has a new curse: bad weather.

No Par-3 winner has ever won the Masters Tournament in the same year. On Wednesday, a steamy afternoon turned into dark skies and lightning at 3 p.m., then rain just after 4.

Ireland’s Padraig Harrington shot 5-under 22, and Jonathan Byrd birdied No. 9 to match him. They were named co-winners. Adam Scott finished at 4-under.

Phil Mickelson, who nearly aced No. 7. shot 3-under, as did amateur Kelly Kraft.

Macon, Ga., resident Jerry Pate, the 1976 U.S. Open champ, was a hot 4-under through 5 before weather stopped him, the field and the fun of one of sport’s most endearing pre-event traditions. On the par-27 layout, some of the caddies putt, some play in the bunkers and some, instead of carrying a bag, are carried themselves. Former Par-3 winner Rory Sabbatini carried two children and held the hand of another as he walked to the first tee, his wife smiling and trailing.

“You must be doing something right,” a fan said to Amy Sabbatini. “You’ve got him trained!”

Denmark’s Thomas Bjorn scored the first hole-in-one with an ace on the ninth that hit far past the flagstick and, with the crowd’s encouragement, slowly, slowly, slowly came back to the hole, paused on the lip, then disappeared. Good things kept happening for Bjorn on 9, even though he was through with the hole and the round. Harrington, his playing partner, left his tee shot six feet short; Harrington’s caddie two-putted it for par; Bjorn’s caddie replaced the ball, drained it and tipped his cap to the crowd.

Mark Wilson has the day’s other ace at the fourth hole.

While plenty of caddies were in size small white jumpsuits, more mature golfers were on the scene, too. Fan favorites Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Gary Player were one of the final groups to tee off. Nicklaus was even applauded for his 15 minutes of work on the practice range.

“Not bad,” said thesix-time Masters champion between shots. “Not bad for a guy who doesn’t play golf.”

Richard DeWitt of Dallas last saw Player in person 42 years ago when the two played in an exhibition in New Jersey. DeWitt waited for thethree-time Masters champ by the No. 1 box, in his hand a 42-year-old photo of the two from that day that he hoped to have autographed.

“He’s always been a physical fitness guy, but I think he’s kept his emotional and spiritual self together too,” DeWitt said. “He’s the kind of model our kids still need today, a guy young people can look at and say, ‘I want to be like that.’”

Brian Crowell, working with CBS on its Masters coverage this week and a club pro at the Player-designed Glen Arbor in Westchester County, New York, said Player gave him the foreword for his book, Slice Free Golf.

“Great person, great guy,” Crowell said. “How could anyone not root for a man like Gary Player?”

But the biggest star for some, as always, was Augusta National and the event itself. Making her first trip to T the Masters was Anna Lisa Stone of Scotland, one of four Bobby Jones Scholar recipients at Wednesday’s tournament and practice rounds. Stone graduated from St. Andrews University and is studying at Emory University, Jones’ alma mater.

“I’ve been told so often about Augusta, but it’s, in person, too beautiful for words, even without the azaleas,” said Stone, 22. “And the passion of the people: everyone just seems so pleased and privileged to be here. You know what’s most impressive? An egg salad sandwich for $1.50. In Scotland, that would be six pounds seventy-five!

“I’m not a golfer; I’ve never played,” Stone said. “But that’s all right, isn’t it? -- Because absolutely, the Masters is so much more than just a game. Just look around; I love America!”

CLOSEST TO PINS AT PAR-3 CONTEST

Hole/Player/Distance

1/Fred Couples/11 inches

2/K.J. Choi/14 inches

3/Charles Coody/3.5 inches

4/Mark Wilson/Hole-in-one

5/Fuzzy Zoeller/66 inches

6/Randal Lewis/3.1 inches

7/Phil Mickelson/7 inches

8/Hubert Green/20.5 inches

9/Thomas Bjorn/Hole-in-one