Streelman has edge in Par 3 playoff

Kevin Streelman beat Camilo Villegas on the third hole of a sudden-death playoff Wednesday to win the Par 3 tournament at Augusta National.

Streelman and Villegas finished the nine holes tied at 5 under. They each opened with a par then a birdie before Streelman topped Villegas, who had not one, but two holes-in-one through his first eight holes.

Ben Martin, who played at Clemson, and Cameron Tringale tied last year’s Par 3 champ Ryan Moore at 4 under.

Streelman, who played at Duke, tied for 42nd last year in his best finish in three appearances at the Masters.

However, no one has won both the Par 3 contest and the Masters in the same week.

Jack is an ace Jack Nicklaus thrilled the crowd at the annual Masters par-3 contest, making a hole-in-one on the fourth hole.

The six-time Masters champion, playing in the exhibition at age 75, spun an iron shot back into the hole for the ace.

After his ball bounced twice then took a third hop before spinning back into the hole, Nicklaus was congratulated by Ben Crenshaw and Gary Player.

Nicklaus acknowledged the ovation from the crowd, raising his arms in the air with a double fist-pump.

Crenshaw, 63, will tee off for his 44th and final Masters on Thursday.

“I never had a hole-in-one at Augusta,” Nicklaus said. “It’s funny. I had an interview this morning and I said, ‘Well, all I’ve got to do is go out and win the Par 3 and make a hole-in-one,’ and I make a hole-in-one. I had 3 under for the Par 3 and then choked.”

Tiger has company Tiger Woods had company playing the Par 3 for the first time since 2004. His 6-year-old son, Charlie, and 7-year-old daughter, Sam, caddied for him with girlfriend, Olympic skiing champion Lindsey Vonn, joining them. Woods let his daughter handle his putting, and she showed a deft touch on the green.

“I’ll always have memories of my pop at Augusta and now Sam & Charlie,” Woods wrote on Twitter. “An amazing day.”

Toast to a champion Billy Casper was remembered at the Champions Dinner on Tuesday night.

Ben Crenshaw was among those who told stories about the 1970 Masters champion, who died in February at age 83.

“He was a great gentleman,” Crenshaw said, who brought back the description once made by the late Dave Marr. “He always said that Billy was a really nice man. But when he got close to the lead, he got mean. That was perfect.”

The Champions Dinner also included a toast for Nicklaus, who recently received the Congressional Gold Medal.

This story was originally published April 8, 2015 at 10:33 PM with the headline "Streelman has edge in Par 3 playoff."