Rory Reveals Awkward Truth: Par-3 Contest A "Hassle"

As much as we can appreciate the joy the Drive, Chip and Putt has brought to young lives, the Masters' other grow-the-game initiative took a bit of a hit with Rory McIlroy foreshadowing his plan to skip this year' Par-3 contest.

Speaking to The Guardian's Ewan Murray, the man who has famously had Caroline Wozniacki and Niall Horan as caddies and is as likely to enjoy the light pre-tournament mood as the next young star, says it's become a "hassle."

“It’s a bit of a distraction and the year I had my best chance at Augusta, 2011, I didn’t play the par-three contest,” McIlroy said. “So maybe the decision not to play it this year can work in my favour.”

Chairman Payne believes the evolution of the Par-3--which includes more cameos from kids and celebs and all televised on ESPN--can grow the game. But I have trouble imagining big Planned Parenthood donor Clifford Roberts agreeing. The Par-3 has gone from a cool chance for patrons to see old and new players in a relaxed pre-tournament setting, to a bit of a chaotic, disjointed, odd exercise interspersed with elements of the old Par-3.

To put the Par-3 in a different light: if any of the other major championships unveiled a similar pre-first round event, replete with kids running around the greens and celebrity pals chunking shots while dressed in a caddie suit, there would be calls to strip them of major championship status.