Niall Horan Will Caddy for Rory McIlroy at the Masters Par-3 Contest

— -- When the world's #1 ranked golfer tees it up for the Masters Par-3 Contest today, he'll have a member of One Direction in tow.

Niall Horan will be Rory McIlroy's caddie during the just-for-fun nine-hole event, which precedes Thursday's kickoff of the Masters tournament, one of golf's major events.

That means Horan who, like McIlroy, is from Northern Ireland, will be carrying golf clubs and maybe giving the champion golfer whatever advice he can about how to play the holes.

"He's been excited to come here," ESPN reported the golfer said in a pre-tournament press conference. "He's never been to the Masters. I caught up with him in Australia at the end of last year and he was really excited, and I said, 'If you're available Wednesday afternoon and you want to carry the bag for nine holes, you're more than welcome.'"

The Par-3 Contest features golfers having fun on a mini-course on the grounds of the Augusta National Golf Club, with family and friends of the participants often serving as caddies, before the main competition begins on Augusta's 18-hole course Thursday.