Rory McIlroy to skip Masters Par-3 Contest
Rory McIlroy is going to take a pass on the Masters Par-3 Contest.
McIlroy told several U.K. publications on Monday that he will be skipping the Wednesday tradition of Masters Week in hopes of focusing the week of the year’s first major.
“It’s just too much hassle and it’s a bit of a distraction,” McIlroy said.
The four-time major winner is searching for a first Masters title in hopes of completing the career Grand Slam. McIlroy last won a major at the 2014 PGA Championship, following up his first British Open win the month prior at Royal Liverpool.
McIlroy last didn’t play the Par-3 Contest in 2011, and the Ulsterman hopes there will be a correlation between skipping the nine-hole event on Augusta National’s short course and the four-shot 54-hole lead McIlroy had five years ago.
“The year I had my best chance at Augusta, 2011, I didn’t play the Par-3 Contest,” McIlroy said. “So maybe the decision not to play it this year can work in my favor.”
The world No. 3 surrendered the lead in the final round with a triple-bogey 7 on the 10th hole, ultimately finishing T-15. In the last two years, McIlroy has finished T-8 and in fourth place.
In the past few years, McIlroy had competed in the contest with celebrities on the bag, including ex-girlfriend Caroline Wozniacki in 2014 when they were still a couple and One Direction singer Niall Horan in 2015.
Ryan Ballengee is a Yahoo Sports contributor. Find him on Facebook and Twitter.
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