The 17th hole at TPC Sawgrass has been part of PGA Tour lore for years.
Measuring less than 150 yards, it strikes fear into those who challenge the island green during the Players Championship.
The Players was first held at the Players Stadium Course in 1982 and over the years, there have been just 14 holes-in-one on the 17th. Contrast that with the more than 1,000 golf balls that have found the water since the PGA Tour started keeping that stat in 2003.
Who has the highest score on 17 during the Players?
Bob Tway holds that distinction. He carded a 12 during the third round of the 2005 Players. There have been four other double-digit scores posted there over the years but he stands alone with the highest number.
On that fateful day:
- Shot 1: Deep right and into the water.
- Shot 3: From the drop zone, he flew the green again and went into the water.
- Shot 5: From the drop zone, he hit the green right near the front pin but there was too much backspin on the ball and it rolled off the front edge and into the water (if you’re counting, that’s one sleeve of balls)
- Shot 7: From the drop zone, another spinner, this time after he hit well left of the pin, but the ball again rolled off the front edge.
- Shot 9: Finally! A ball from the drop zone finds the green but well back of the front pin.
- Shot 10: His first putt had to navigate the slope but he left it way out right and passed the cup by about five feet.
- Shot 11: Tway pushed his second putt right and past the hole.
- Shot 12: From about a foot, he finally gets the ball into the jar.
For your viewing pleasure, you can watch the sequence of events below:
What other high scores have there been on the 17th hole?
11: Byeong Hun An, 2021
11: Robert Gamez, 1990
10: Phil Blackmar, 1990
9: Rex Caldwell, 1983
9: Roger Maltbie, 1990
9: Angel Cabrera, 2012
9: Russell Knox, 2016
9: Zac Blair, 2017
