Bubba Watson pulled off one of the more bizarre putts in Wednesday's Par Three competition at Augusta National as he warmed up for the Masters in the traditional style, and managed not to win too.
The Masters started on Thursday afternoon. The first golfing Major of the year takes place at one of the most beautiful courses in the world and is full of some of the great golf traditions.
One of those is the par three tournament the day before the actual proper stuff stars. It might be the only sports competition in the world that the competitors don't actually want to win.
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That's because no one who has won the par three has gone on to win the infamous green jacket in the same year. That explains why golfers occasionally let members of family caddie for them and let other people take their shots.
And it might also be why Bubba Watson decided to attempt this rather bizarre and excellent putt on Wednesday, he might even be annoyed it went in:
With Watson chasing his third green jacket, and in with an excellent chance of doing so before the tournament kicks off, he would have been gutted to find out a Watson had won the par three but fortunately for him it was the legend Tom Watson.
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The Masters Traditions You May Not Know
This article first appeared on site April 5th 2017.
Augusta National is a rather special place. Not only is it the home of the only golf major to be played at the same location every year but it is also one of the most beautiful golf courses you could hope to visit. It is also a place with some rather wonderful traditions.
On Thursday golf's first major of the year takes place at Augusta National Golf Park in Georgia. World number one Dustin Johnson unsurprisingly goes into the competition as favourite but Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth and Jason Day won't be far behind.
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Reigning champ Danny Willett's had an up and down year since winning just days after the birth of his first born child last year but the Englishman will be hoping the lush scenery is kind to him again.
Rory McIlroy threw away a four shot lead in the last round in the Masters in 2011 and is still hunting a Masters win to complete his career Grand Slam. Image: PA Images
Once again the tournament will be lacking some of its star power due to Tiger Woods' injury but that shouldn't stop a highly anticipated four days of excellent golf entertaining us.
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The Masters is a special tournament for many reason, not just the infamous green jacket for the winner, and there's some brilliant traditions that go hand in hand with the tournament, some better known than others.
Par Three tournament
The legendary par three tournament takes place on the Wednesday of the tournament with players competing over nine holes. The first time the contest took place was in 1960 at was won by Sam Snead.
No player has ever won the Masters the same year that they've won the par three contest, which makes you wonder why anyone tries to win, and only 11 players winning both competitions in different years.
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The contest also allows players to have their family caddy for them.
Bobby Jones Scholars
When the tournament finishes on Sunday it's not straight back to work for the groundsmen to restore the course back to its pre tournament condition. Instead members of the Bobby Jones Scholarship play on the course.
Amen corner might look beautiful but holes 11-13 are dangerous. Image: PA Images
The scholarship is for final year undergraduates at St Andrews University to study for one or two years at Emory University in Atlanta and is named after the 13 time major winner.
The students play a four ball round on the course before the greenkeepers get to work.
Skipping balls on 16
This tradition is all to do with practice rounds and the par three 16th hole. Fans largely encourage the players to play the ball up to the water hazard on the 16th and then to skim the ball across the water and on to the green, just like you might have done throwing a stone across a pond.
In 2012 Martin Kaymer managed to get a hole in one skimming the ball across the water:
Opening tee shots
Since 1963 some of the greats of golf's history have been invited to take the tournament's opening tee shots. For the first 10 years Frank McLeod and Jock Hutchinson were the opening pair at the Masters.
Byron Nelson and Gene Sarazen took over in 1981 with three time Master winner Snead joining them in 1984. Snead was the last of three to continue, hitting his last opening shot in the 2002 tournament just months before his death.
The legendary four time Masters winner Palmer won't be joining his friends after sadly passing away last year. Image: PA Images
Arnold Palmer took over the duties in 2007 and was eventually joined by Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player. and the pair will continue this year without Palmer after his sad passing last September.
Champions dinner
Every year the Tuesday evening of the tournament sees the Champions dinner where all former champions and the chairman of the club are invited to a formal dinner at the club.
The first time the dinner was held in 1952 by then champion Ben Hogan and since then the reigning champion has hosted the dinner.
By hosting the dinner the champ chooses the menu which usually includes their local cuisine, hence the haggis 'served' by Sandy Lyle in 1989.
The Green Jacket
Is there a more iconic prize in sport than the Green Jacket? Every year the winner of the Masters is awarded the infamous sports coat, presented by the previous years winner.
The winner of the jacket is only allowed to take it away from Augusta for the first year after his first win at the Masters ,after that is stays put all year only to be worn when the players are at the course.
Jordan Spieth had to dress Willett last year after screwing up his fourth round. Image: PA Images
Only three players have kept the jacket beyond the year, Gary Player who took his back to South Africa but has never worn it outside of the grounds, Seve Ballesteros and Henry Picard, whose jacket is on display at Canterbury Golf Club in Beachwood, Ohio.
But who will Danny Willett be presenting the Green Jacket to this year, or will the chairman be helping Willett into his second?
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