Thursday 7 April 2016 11:15, UK
Records tumbled in the traditional Par 3 contest on the eve of the 80th Masters as Jimmy Walker fired an astonishing course-record 19 on a day of nine holes in one at Augusta.
Walker was among the nine players to record an ace, breaking the previous record of five, and his eight-under round eclipsed the 20s shot by Art Wall Jnr in 1965 and Gay Brewer in 1973.
Even Gary Player got in on the act when he holed his tee shot to the seventh, and the 80-year-old celebrated with playing partners Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson in front of packed galleries.
The patrons were given a rare treat at the 130-yard fourth hole, where Justin Thomas' ace was matched seconds later by Rickie Fowler, leaving reigning Masters champion Jordan Spieth as the odd man out in the group.
Andy Sullivan celebrated his first appearance in the event with the only hole in one of the day at the fifth, while David Lingmerth and Zach Johnson emulated Player's ace at the seventh with Smylie Kaufman (eighth) and Webb Simpson (ninth) completing the list.
Walker came within four inches of holing his first tee shot, but he found the cup at the second and reeled off five more birdies over his remaining seven holes to earn his place in Augusta history.
The American was three shots clear of Keegan Bradley and 1982 Masters winner Craig Stadler, while Martin Kaymer was five under after eight before finding water at the last and finishing with a double-bogey five.
Walker is now the latest player to attempt to break the "curse of the Par 3 champion", with nobody having completed the double in tournament proper since the inception of the Par 3 competition in 1960.
His three-shot win equalled the record margin of victory achieved by Wall, while the contest has now yielded 94 holes in one overall.
