News
The Masters changes eligibility policy for its Par-3 Contest
One of the most exclusive events all year just got more exclusive. As reported by PGA.com, Augusta National has issued notices to honorary invitees that only “players in the field and past Masters champions” will be allowed to play in the Masters Par-3 Contest, which takes place on Wednesday of Masters week.
Before this news, U.S. Open, British Open and PGA Championship winners received invitations to the Masters tournament for five years and were considered “honorary invitees” after that period. Past U.S. Amateur champions were also considered honorary invitees. That title allowed the invitees to play in the Masters Par-3 contest, use the practice facility and play in practice rounds.
Those perks are no longer available to the honorary invitees.
The decision affects a number of previous participants including Ian Baker-Finch, David Duval and Curtis Strange. See what those players told PGA.com about the situation below.
Ian Baker-Finch: “As a person and an honorary invitee, I’m disappointed because it was my favorite day of the year. I loved it. I’ll still be there, though, and I’ll watch like everyone else.”
David Duval: “I would never clog up the golf course when guys are trying to prepare. That’s the problem I would have had [with the practice rounds]… I guess [the par-3 contest] could be easily expanded if they started it earlier. But you have to protect it. You have to protect the competitors.”
Curtis Strange: “We had our time, and now it’s their time. I think it’s extremely nice that we’re invited to come back with your spouse. It’s been nice for these guys who want to hit balls and play practice rounds. But times change. I think with time constraints, they want to make it for players in the field. My sense is that the Par 3 was getting a little bit crowded and taking a little bit too long, and they wanted to streamline it. I think that’s fine.”
With the second major of 2026 now behind us, the PGA Tour arrives in Texas for the CJ Cup Byron Nelson.
GolfWRX Tour Photographer, Greg Moore, is on site at TPC Craig Ranch in McKinney, Texas, and he’s already captured several WITBs and a look at some new colorways of just-spotted L.A.B. Golf VZN.1i putters.
Check out links to all our photos below.
General Albums
- 2026 CJ Cup Byron Nelson – Monday #1
- 2026 CJ Cup Byron Nelson – Monday #2
- 2026 CJ Cup Byron Nelson – Monday #3
WITB Albums
- Brennan Little (Gary Woodland’s caddy) – WITB – 2026 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Adam Svensson – WITB – 2026 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Martin Laird – WITB – 2026 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Lee Hodges – WITB – 2026 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Aaron Wise – WITB – 2026 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Dylan Wu – WITB – 2026 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- AJ Ewart – WITB – 2026 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
Pullout Albums
- New Graphite Design Tour AD shafts – 2026 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- L.A.B. Golf VZN.1i putters (new colors) – 2026 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
See what GolfWRXers are saying and join the discussion in the forums.
Aaron Rai upset the odds to win his first major championship on Sunday at Aronimink, firing a final round of 5-under par to see off his competitors and claim the winner’s check for $3,690,000.
Jon Rahm and Alex Smalley were the best of the chasing pack, with both men sharing runner-up spot which was good enough for each to receive a check for $1,804,000.
With a total prize purse of $20.5 million up for grabs, here’s a look at how much each player won at the 2026 PGA Championship.
Players who missed the PGA Championship cut each received $4,300 each.
1: Aaron Rai, $3,690,000
T2 : Jon Rahm, $1,804,000
T2 : Alex Smalley, $1,804,000
T4: Justin Thomas, $843,866
T4: Ludvig Aberg, $843,866
T4: Matti Schmid, $843,866
T7: Cameron Smith, $637,050
T7: Rory McIlroy, $637,050
T7: Xander Schauffele, $637,050
T10: Kurt Kitayama, $496,707
T10: Chris Gotterup, $496,707
T10: Justin Rose, $496,707
T10: Patrick Reed, $496,707
T14: Matt Fitzpatrick, $364,762
T14: Scottie Scheffler, $364,762
T14: Max Greyserman, $364,762
T14: Ben Griffin, $364,762
T18: Maverick McNealy, $229,128
T18: Jordan Spieth, $229,128
T18: Stephan Jaeger, $229,128
T18: Padraigh Harrington, $229,128
T18: David Puig, $229,128
T18: Harris English, $229,128
T18: Min Woo Lee, $229,128
T18: Joaquin Niemann, $229,128
T26: Nick Taylor, $125,523
T26: Alex Noren, $125,523
T26: Cameron Young, $125,523
T26: Andrew Novak, $125,523
T-26: Daniel Hiller, $125,523
T26: Tom Hoge, $125,523
T26: Sam Burns, $125,523
T26: Hideki Matsuyama, $125,523
T26: Bud Cauley, $125,523
T35: Christiaan Bezuidenhout, $78,805
T35: Patrick Cantlay, $78,805
T35: Ryo Hisatsune, $78,805
T35: Daniel Berger, $78,805
T35: Ryan Fox, $78,805
T35: Haotong Li, $78,805
T35: Aldrich Potgieter, $78,805
T35: Si Woo Kim, $78,805
T35: Martin Kaymer, $78,805
T44: Chris Kirk, $53,743
T44: Matt Wallace, $53,743
T44: Shane Lowry, $53,743
T44: Jhonattan Vegas, $53,743
T44: Denny McCarthy, $53,743
T44: Chandler Blachet, $53,743
T44: Taylor Pendrith, $53,743
T44: Dustin Johnson, $53,743
T44: Nicolai Hojgaard, $53,743
T44: Michael Kim, $53,743
T44: Kristoffer Reitan, $53,743
T55: Collin Morikawa, $34,186
T55: Corey Conners, $34,186
T55: Andrew Putnam, $34,186
T55: Brooks Koepka, $34,186
T55: Mikael Lindberg, $34,186
T60: Sami Valimaki, $29,218
T60: Sahith Theegala, $29,218
T60: Rico Hoey, $29,218
T60: Rickie Fowler, $29,218
T60: Brian Harman, $29,218
T65: Casey Jarvis, $26,900
T65: Jason Day, $26,900
T65: Rasmus Hojgaard, $26,900
T65: Keith Mitchell, $26,900
T65: Sam Stevens, $26,900
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Driver: Titleist GT3 (9 degrees) Buy here. Shaft: Aldila Rogue Silver 130 M.S.I. 70 TX 3-wood: TaylorMade Qi35 (15 degrees)...
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Driver: TaylorMade M6 (9 degrees) Shaft: Aldilda Synergy Blue 70 TX 3-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 (15 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue...
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Driver: Krank Formula Fire Pro (6 degrees) Shaft: Project X Prototype 3-wood: Krank Formula Fire (10 degrees) Shaft: LA Golf BAD...
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TONEY P
Mar 31, 2017 at 11:13 pm
I actually agree with the tournament people. What’s next a Pro am.
Miuralovechild
Mar 15, 2017 at 9:44 pm
I wish someone would win the par 3 and the tournament so everyone could shut the **** up and talk about something else. The only thing more irritating is hearing about the undefeated ’72 Dolphins every year.
Dave R
Mar 15, 2017 at 8:47 pm
Yes let them do what they want,they will anyway!
Mad-Mex
Mar 14, 2017 at 11:17 pm
Its their tournament, they can do what ever they want, don’t like it? Am sure there is 100 people ready to take your ticket
Jo Jo
Mar 14, 2017 at 10:09 pm
No more Nate Crosby
ooffa
Mar 14, 2017 at 3:22 pm
Same boring course year after year.
C
Mar 14, 2017 at 4:39 pm
Guess you’d want them to move the Players, as well?
ooffa
Mar 15, 2017 at 8:32 am
Yes, that is correct.
Double Mocha Man
Mar 14, 2017 at 11:22 am
I’m still waiting for them to “float” a Cadillac on one of the ponds.
C
Mar 14, 2017 at 2:40 pm
That’ll happen the same year they let fans walk around with actual beer bottles/cans instead of the Masters labelled plastic cups.
Hopefully, never.
Darrin
Mar 15, 2017 at 2:24 pm
You will be waiting a long time.
C
Mar 14, 2017 at 9:31 am
So no more letting kids putt?
Matt K
Mar 14, 2017 at 8:42 am
You had your time Curtis, not “we.” What about the guy who just won the US Am two summers ago, would’ve had a life of amazing Aprils, or at least when his schedule allowed him to go to Augusta. Sad day for the tournament. Bob’s tournament just got that much closer to the Frys.com classic. What’s next… lets stop inviting the US Mid Am champ, nobody cares about that guy anyway, he’ll just shoot two 76s and be on his way. This probably sounds dramatic, but The Masters is the last bastion of tradition in golf. Hate to see them erode any part of it… cuz usually there’s more to come.
C
Mar 14, 2017 at 9:59 am
“The Masters is the last bastion of tradition in golf.”
Don’t tell that to the R&A.
Matt
Mar 14, 2017 at 12:59 pm
You definitely have a point there… St. Andrews edges Augusta as my favorite place on Earth. Should’ve said “American Golf.”
DeShamBeau
Mar 14, 2017 at 6:40 pm
“Traditional golf”. Hahahahahahahahahaha
Forsbrand
Mar 13, 2017 at 5:13 pm
Let Michelle Wie play 🙂
Don Julio
Mar 13, 2017 at 11:20 pm
Settle down.
Jack Nash
Mar 15, 2017 at 11:34 am
With her tabletop putting style?