By Dwight Foxx
Staff Writer
Augusta Chronicle

Fuzzy Zoeller is one person who is going to have a lot of fun today at the Augusta National Golf Club.

Zoeller, the 1979 Masters champion, will be one of the participants in the Masters' preliminary event, the 37th Par-3 Contest. The event begins at 2 p.m. on the Par-3 course, which is to the left and the rear of the 10th tee of the regular course.

Art Wall (1965) and Gay Brewer, Jr. (1973) hold the course record with a 20. Hal Sutton is the defending champion; he shot a 23 last year. Sutton defeated David Edwards with a par on the third playoff hole.

There have been 13 sudden-death playoffs in the event and a total of 29 hole-in-ones in the 36-year-old event.

The 44-year-old Zoeller is known for his interplay with the fans, especially at the Par-3 Contest.

``I don't think we're trying to let off steam,'' Zoeller said. ``We're just having fun with it. You try to make hole-in-ones. All it takes is one bogey and that's it. You're done. If a player is playing well and makes a couple of birdies, we sort of let him go. It's a fun day and I'm usually out of it by then.

``These people (fans) paid their hard-earned cash and they deserve some memories,'' Zoeller said.

In last year's Par-3 event, Zoeller let a man come out of the gallery and putt for him. Two years ago, he let a little boy putt for him.

``That little boy I brought out was about knee high to a grasshopper,'' Zoeller said. ``He hoisted it right in the hole from about 3 feet and the crowd went crazy. Fifteen years from now, he's liable to be beating us out here on the Augusta National trying to win a green jacket.''

D.A. Weibring intends to follow Zoeller's lead.

``I always take it very loosely,'' Weibring said. ``It's a fun event.''

Zoeller, who said winning the Masters is very special because it puts you in a very elite group, loves to play on the Par-3 course.

``I wish I had a Par-3 course like that in my backyard,'' the New Albany, Ind., native said. ``It's absolutely gorgeous.''

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