AUGUSTA, Ga. — Like Tiger Woods, Augusta National Chairman Billy Payne is recovering from back surgery in November.

Jokingly asked during his news conference Wednesday who would return to golf first, Payne said: “Well, last night (at the champions dinner), he looked good. He looked better than me.”

“I was delighted,” Payne continued. “He's encouraged. I could tell the fire is building back up in his belly. I suspect Tiger's going to be back fairly quickly, and I'm looking forward to it.”

As for Payne, he said he hoped to be playing golf by June.

“Unfortunately, we're closed then,” he said of the club, adding with a smile, “We may, however, open it up for one day.”

Aces galore: The par-3 contest produced even more roars than usual with nine holes-in-one.

Three-time Masters winner Gary Player, 80, made an ace, and two came back-to-back, with Rickie Fowler matching Justin Thomas in a group that also included defending Masters champion Jordan Spieth.

“It might have been the hardest shot I ever hit trying to follow them,” Spieth said.

Chirped Fowler: “You've got to man up and hit the shot. Just couldn't do it.”

“Pretty cool,” Fowler added. “Something that we'll remember forever, that's for sure.”

All but three of the nine holes on the par-3 course surrendered an ace. The others were by Jimmy Walker, David Lingmerth, Andy Sullivan, Zach Johnson, Smylie Kaufman and Webb Simpson.

Walker won at 8 under, making the ace and six birdies.

— Tod Leonard