The 2026 Masters Par 3 Contest Becomes Most-Viewed In Over A Decade Despite Dividing Fans

As is tradition, The Masters Par 3 Contest plays as the starter to the main event, with it being a feel good tournament that creates plenty of memories.

Many of the world's best attend alongside their partners and family and, for 2026, the Par 3 Contest created an awful lot of buzz, so much so, it was the most viewed edition since 2015.

According to ESPN, the coverage averaged 956,000 viewers on the channel from 2.00pm to 4.30pm ET, with it a mammoth 52% up on 2025.

What's more, there were plenty of highlights, including Kevin Hart caddying for Bryson DeChambeau, Travis Kelce hosting and Tommy Fleetwood making a hole-in-one.

However, these moments also caused divide among fans, who claimed the charade swayed away from the traditional values of The Masters.

On X/Twitter, one user tweeted: "Allowing Kevin Hart and Travis Kelce caddy in the par 3 tournament was a big mistake. It just doesn’t fit in with the culture of The Masters at Augusta National."

Another user also voiced their disdain, writing: "ESPN ruined the great Masters Par 3. Jason Kelce is embarrassing. Hart as well. Hardly showing the spouse caddies and the kids. Announcers don’t seem to know golf and aren’t familiar with the players."

It wasn't all negative, though, and the players and their teams always enjoy what is a fun and relaxed atmosphere at arguably the greatest and most beautiful par 3 course in the world.

However, it did prompt our news editor Elliott Heath to ask whether the Masters par 3 contest has lost its sparkle.

In the end, Aaron Rai was the eventual winner, carding a six-under-par score that put him one clear of Jacob Bridgeman and Johnny Keefer.

The day, though, was more centered around the entertainment value, which included those outside the game of golf mixing tradition with innovation, something Augusta National Chairman, Fred Ridley, spoke about in his press conference earlier in the day.

"I've referred to the tension in the past between respecting tradition and innovating, or in our nomenclature, continuous improvement," stated the Augusta National chief.

"I do think we need to be looking at nontraditional ways of promoting the tournament, but more so promoting golf. A few years ago we had Dude Perfect playing frisbee at Amen Corner. In retrospect, I like those guys, but that may not have been the best idea.

"It does point out that we try things every once in a while that are a little bit nontraditional.

"So we'll continue to look at things. Not specifically necessarily what you've referred to, but I think thematically, we're certainly willing to look outside the box every once in a while."