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Aaron Rai won the 2026 Masters Par-3 Contest, but it was Justin Thomas‘s daughter who stole the show. The afternoon turned electric as shots that usually flirt with the collar of the green began disappearing straight into the hole. While playing with their family, girlfriend, and friends, the pros started hitting aces one after another. The record for the most aces in a Masters Par-3 Contest rests with the 2016 edition, which saw nine holes-in-one. While not close to the record, the 2026 edition had more than a few aces, and along with that, sweet family moments.

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Justin Thomas starts Masters Week with an ace on No. 2

The first hole-in-one at the 2026 Masters Par-3 Contest came from Justin Thomas. Just 15 minutes into the Par-3 contest, he made a hole-in-one on No. 2. Thomas hit the ball a little over the hole, but it rolled back to dip right into it. He was paired with friends Jordan Spieth and Max Homa, with whom he had a friendly wager.

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JT later turned to his daughter, Molly Grace Thomas. Guess what Molly did? Just a week back, she refused her dad a high-five after a shot, and this time she actually stole the club from JT’s hand.

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Coming off back surgery and rehab, this hole-in-one would give a confidence boost to Justin Thomas as he prepares for the real test at Augusta National.

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Wyndham Clark makes the 2nd ace of the day

There were several close shots at No. 6. However, it was No. 7 that brought the second ace of the day. Wyndham Clark, paired with Keegan Bradley and Gary Woodland, was teeing up with the group’s family members surrounding them.

He hit the ball around 20 feet above the hole, which then spun back into the cup. Clark was filled with joy and congratulated by his groupmates, Bradley and Woodland. He high-fived his partners before turning to his girlfriend, Emily Tanner, who was caddying for him for the Masters Par-3 Contest. Watch the moment below.

Keegan Bradley sets a record with his ace

Clark’s playing partner, Keegan Bradley, was quick to follow up on the U.S. Open champ’s hole-in-one. The eight-time PGA Tour winner became the only golfer to hit an ace in consecutive years on the par-3 contest. Last year, he made an ace on the 144-yard sixth hole. It was one of the three aces last year, alongside Tom Hoge and Brooks Koepka.

This year, he pulled it off on No. 8, where his 110-yard tee shot spun back to the hole. After the ace, he high-fived his son, Logan James Bradley, and he raised Cooper Bradley in the air.

Tommy Fleetwood with the fourth ace of the contest

Tommy Fleetwood, paired with Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry, joined the party with the 4th hole-in-one of the day. His ball was way over the hole, but the slope on the green helped it roll back into the cup. He celebrated with his playing partners and family. He turned to Frankie, who had joined him for the Masters Par-3 Contest.

While the 2026 edition didn’t threaten the historic nine-ace mark set in 2016, it still delivered a flurry of unforgettable moments. Those early fireworks set the tone for a Masters week that now carries even more anticipation.

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Written by

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Kailash Bhimji Vaviya

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Kailash Vaviya is a Golf Journalist at EssentiallySports, covering both the PGA Tour and LIV Golf. His reporting spans major championship contention, player performance, and the ongoing tensions between the two circuits, from the financial pressures LIV players face to the tour politics shaping where careers go. He has followed golf closely since his college years, and that long-running familiarity informs how he covers the game, placing week-to-week results within the bigger structural stories around them. Before joining EssentiallySports, Kailash wrote for Comic Book Resources (CBR) and Forbes, where he developed a research-driven approach to sports and media reporting. He brings that same attention to accuracy and structure to his golf work, with particular depth on the business and political side of the professional game alongside the competitive storylines that define each tournament week.

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Parnab Bhattacharya

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