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South Africans dominated Wednesday’s weather-shortened Par 3 contest at the Masters tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia, US, winning three of the nine trophies awarded to the players who hit their tee shot nearest to the hole.
Canadians Mike Weir and Mackenzie Hughes tied to win the event with a score of four-under-par 23.
It was the third time in the competition's history that there were dual winners due to the suspension of the play.
South Africans took the honours at three of the holes with the closest shot from the tee.
Christiaan Bezuidenhout, who is appearing at his third Masters, managed to place his ball within 56cm at the ninth hole while Louis Oosthuizen, who finished runner-up at the Masters in 2012, was closest at the sixth, hitting his ball to within 33cm.
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Gary Player showed the crowd that age is not a factor – at least on a par 3 course – as the South African golfing legend, who is one of the honorary starters today, came within 6.3cm on the fifth hole to score a hole in one.
READ: Rough road ahead for Gary Player: ‘At some point, the cancer is going to claim her’
The only ace on the day was shot at the fourth, where Jason Kokrak managed to find the hole with his tee shot.
No winner of the Par 3 contest has ever won the Masters in the same year.
The Par 3 contest is the traditional start to the Masters, which starts on Thursday at Augusta National.
It is very much a family affair, with players bringing their children and spouses to the competition and often letting them caddie for them.
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