par

Xander Schauffele made par on the eighth hole Thursday at Augusta National.

What was noteworthy about that accomplishment is he did it after his tee shot landed in a most unusual spot: A fan’s merchandise bag.

During the opening round of the 2026 Masters tournament, Schauffele’s shot on the par-5 hole sailed just left of the fairway and somehow came to rest inside a woman’s clear plastic shopping bag, which appeared to be sitting on the ground.

Spectators chuckled as Schauffele and an official made their way to the bag and located the ball within it. After Schauffele used a tee to mark the ball’s location on the ground, he retrieved the ball and returned the bag to its owner. He was able to continue play without penalty.

“It just flew straight into the bag,” Schauffele said after finishing his round with a 2-under 70. “It was a great break. That bounce would’ve put me in the pine straw and who knows if I would’ve had a shot to hit up the hill.”

“So thanks to the lady on 8,” added Schauffele, the two-time major championship winner whose best Masters finish was a tie for second in 2019.

No doubt, Schauffele got lucky — but not as lucky as Louis Oosthuizen in the final round of the 2016 Masters. Oosthuizen sent his tee shot on the 16th to the green, where the ball collided with that of J.B. Holmes, changed direction and rolled in for a hole-in-one.

Schauffele’s shot also brings to mind another, perhaps even more bizarre, play from the first round of the 2021 Masters. Playing from partially behind a tree on the seventh hole, Rory McIlroy missed the right side of the fairway with a high shot that ricocheted off the back of his father’s leg on the way down.

Luckily, Gerry McIlroy was unharmed. His son, however, bogeyed that hole on his way to a 4-over 76 for the round.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

The youngster had the galleries chanting his name as he tried to fulfill a vow made 12 months ago – to clear the water with his tee-shot on the final ninth hole.

A year older, bigger and stronger – and armed with a bespoke club – he had made it a mission to conquer what had turned into a personal challenge.

“When I go on to the range I just think about this every single day,” Frankie said in one of countless television interviews during the round.

Described as a “chatterbox” by his dad, Frankie showed he is a chip off the old block – talking confidently in front of the camera, demonstrating a steeliness to succeed and possessing a stylish swing of the club.

Anticipation built on the course as the Fleetwood family, again alongside good friends the McIlroys and Lowrys, played their way round to the ninth tee.

Young Frankie was wide right with his first attempt and, after the Augusta patrons sang for him to get another chance, came closer with a second but it still ended up wet.

He walked off with the consoling arm of Shane Lowry’s daughter Iris – who also went close to hitting the putting surface – round his shoulders.

“I think more than anything the pressure is on me to keep making the Masters until he reaches the green on the ninth,” said father Tommy, who continues his quest this week for a first major title following several top-five finishes.

Fleetwood tuned up his short game with a hole-in-one which made the patrons roar, with American trio Justin Thomas, Wyndham Clark and Keegan Bradley also carding aces to dial up the entertainment factor.

Bradley, who was the US captain in their Ryder Cup defeat by Europe last year, is first player in the history of the 66-year competition to land holes-in-one in consecutive years.

The noise in the galleries is likely to be matched this week as the sporting drama intensifies, but the chaos inside the ropes – toddlers sliding down bunkers and babies crawling across putting surfaces – will make way for the cordiality of the main event.

Father-of-five Jason Day jokingly described the occasion as “a circus”, with Clark adding: “As a man with no kids I’ll say it’s great birth control but it’s a lot of fun.”

Celebrity stardust came in the shape of comedian Kevin Hart, who caddied for two-time major champion Bryson DeChambeau, and former NFL star Jason Kelce in a roving reporter role on the course.

Their presence came hours after Augusta chairman Fred Ridley discussed the ongoing battle for the Masters to find the balance “between respecting tradition and innovating”.

On this evidence, the Par 3 Contest is treading the line nicely as the Masters looks to ensure it – and golf – remains relevant for generations to come.