Par-3 Contest is family affair for Vaughn Taylor

Early Wednesday afternoon, a fussy Locklyn Taylor had his mind made up.

The 2-year-old son of Vaughn Taylor did not want to wear the green tennis shoes his mother picked out for him.

“You don’t have to wear the green shoes,” Leot Taylor said as she carried him into the caddie house at Augusta National Golf Club. “You can wear the white ones.”

The Par-3 Contest was a family affair for the Taylors on Wednesday. Vaughn roughly shot 2-under on the nine-hole course (Leot attempted his par putt at No. 9), with his wife and son serving as his caddies.

Beforehand, Leot changed Locklyn’s diaper and put on his custom-fit, white caddie suit, matching the one she wore that had “Taylor” across the back. One month earlier, Leot asked Zach Johnson’s mother-in-law, who makes caddie jumpsuits for children, to make one additional outfit. This close to the Masters Tournament, Carol Barclay said, she doesn’t make any more caddie suits for children. But she made an exception.

“I’ll do it for Vaughn,” Barclay told Leot.

After Locklyn changed into his suit, he walked around for a bit and asked, “Where’s Daddy?”

Minutes later, Vaughn appeared, kissing his mother-in-law, Cheryl Chen, before heading over to his son. Vaughn helped Locklyn put on a pair of white socks, while Leot followed with the green shoes.

“I don’t want these shoes on,” Locklyn said.

Leot replied: “They’re just like Daddy’s pants.”

The Taylors posed for pictures before taking a cart ride to the Par-3 Course. On the putting green, Locklyn was handed a putter – one of his three clubs – from his red-and-gray golf bag. After taking a few putts, he switched to his 7-iron and then to his driver.

With Vaughn’s sister, Anne, nearby, along with Leot’s two brothers, Elan and Neale, Locklyn putted to one hole on the practice green and pointed to the cup.

“Is that mine?” he asked.

Locklyn knocked in a short putt with his driver, and a few children standing along the ropes cheered. Then, a legend approached. Gary Player came up to Locklyn.

“How old are you?” the 80-year-old, three-time Masters champion asked. “Show me with your fingers.”

Player then asked Leot about the experience of being at Augusta National.

“I started tearing up just coming down here,” she said. “This is something you dream about.”

Locklyn remained focused on the practice green, taking a few hearty whacks with his driver. After the toddler knocked one ball across the green, Vaughn laughed and retrieved the ball.

A short while later, Jack Nicklaus arrived on the practice green and shook hands with Vaughn. Then Locklyn walked up, with Nicklaus saying, “Hi there!”

Vaughn started his round, rolling in a 4-foot birdie putt at No. 1. Locklyn congratulated his father as they headed to the second tee.

As the Taylors made their way around the course, Locklyn saw his grandmother, Lynn Taylor, on the fourth hole and showed her the plastic lizards he carried with him.

After the group finished at No. 9, Locklyn gripped his driver and attempted to knock his ball in the hole. After a few attempts, he rolled in a short putt to the applause of hundreds of patrons.

The Taylors then took a cart ride back to the caddie house, with an afternoon of memories that will last forever.

“It’s pretty cool. It’s almost surreal,” Vaughn said. “When I was younger, I didn’t see this.”