Tom Hoge’s ‘Par-3 Winner’s Curse’ Continues Even After Leaving Augusta Early

Some of sports’ legendary curses have been debunked over the years:

• The 2004 Boston Red Sox became the first (and still only) team to overcome a 3-0 deficit in a seven-game baseball playoff series when they defeated the New York Yankees.
• UMBC became the first 16-seed to beat a 1-seed in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament by beating Virginia in 2018, and Fairleigh-Dickinson did it this year when the Knights beat Purdue.

But one truth that remains strongly in place is that no winner of the par-3 contest the day before the Masters has ever won a green jacket the following Sunday.

This year, Tom Hoge was looking to be lucky No. 63—as in the 63^rd golfer to win the par-3 and then go on to try and win the Masters.

Another ace at the Par 3 … this time from Tom Hoge. #TheMasters pic.twitter.com/HDvPZxOqys

— Triple Bogey Golf Club (@TripleBogeyGC) April 5, 2023

After an opening-round 73, Hoge was lining up for another 73 and a made cut in the second round, but he missed his par putt on 18 and wound up missing the cut by one stroke.

The curse lives, but then, insult was added to the injury.

On his way home to Texas, Hoge discovered that the skies weren’t so friendly for his golf clubs. He alluded to a broken driver along with a totaled iron.

Well that’s a new one @AmericanAir. Thought we just had the standard broken driver today. pic.twitter.com/R6imQsPYlU

— Tom Hoge (@HogeGolf) April 9, 2023

Fortunately for Hoge, there are a handful of players who have won the par-3 and a green jacket, just not in the same year. That group includes Sam Snead, Arnold Palmer, Tom Watson, Ben Crenshaw, and Vijay Singh.

Cover Image Via Twitter