It was peer pressure, no other way to spin it, that will likely lead Dave Stockton Sr. to play next week’s Par 3 Contest at Augusta National for the first time since 2012.
Stockton, who won the Par 3 in 1971, told GolfChannel.com that Kevin Stadler and his father, 1982 Masters champion Craig, have been trying to talk him into playing the Wednesday event.
“It will be an all-USC team,” laughed Stockton, who, like the Stadler’s, is a University of Southern California alum. “It’s a conspiracy by Kevin and his dad.”
Stockton said his son is also pressuring him to play, “it’s the highlight of Junior’s year,” but he was reluctant because when he played three years ago he, “freaked out.”
“We’ll see. It will be fun,” he said.