Three-times major golf champion Padraig Harrington of Irealand and American Golf Star Jonathan Byrd won the storm-shortened Masters Par-3 Contest for 2012, after lightning at 3 p.m., then rain just after 4 ended play for the day.

Harrington carded a 5-under-par score of 22, and Byrd birdied hole no. 9 to match him. They were named co-winners. Australian Adam Scott finished at 4-under-par, 23.

Former champion and lefty Phil Mickelson, who nearly aced hole no. 7, posted 3-under-par, 24, as did American amateur golfer Kelly Kraft.

Jerry Pate, the 1976 U.S. Open champion, was a 4-under-par through 5 holes before weather stopped one of golf’s most endearing pre-event traditions around the par-27 layout.

2010 Ryder Cup vice-captain Thomas Bjorn of Denmark scored the first hole-in-one with an ace on the ninth that screwed back into the cup. American Mark Wilson recorded the day’s other hole in one at the fourth hole.

Closest to pins at US Masters Par-3 Contest:-

Hole/Player/Distance

1/Fred Couples/11 inches

2/K.J. Choi/14 inches

3/Charles Coody/3.5 inches

4/Mark Wilson/Hole-in-one

5/Fuzzy Zoeller/66 inches

6/Randal Lewis/3.1 inches

7/Phil Mickelson/7 inches

8/Hubert Green/20.5 inches

9/Thomas Bjorn/Hole-in-one