Each year, the PGA Tour estimates some 100,000 golf balls find their way into the water surrounding the green at the 17th at TPC Sawgrass. It works out to a couple of balls per golfer.
The pros competing in The Players Championship contribute very little to that tally. On Thursday at The Players Championship is typically when the most balls find the water. The second round is typically the second most, with the weekend field rarely finding the water.
The highest one-day total in that stretch was 50 balls in Round 1 of the 2007 Players, the first year the event moved to May.
The highest total for a single playing of The Players Championship was 93 in the 2007 edition of the event.
10 highest single-round numbers of balls in the water at No. 17 since 2003
- 2007 - Round 1: 50
- 2021 - Round 1: 35
- 2017 - Round 2: 29
- 2005 - Round 4: 28
- 2005 - Round 3: 25
- 2007 - Round 1: 21
- 2015 - Round 1: 21
- 2008 - Round 1: 20
- 2006 - Round 1: 19
- 2012 - Round 1: 18
- 2016 - Round 3: 17
- 2006 - Round 2: 17
- 2009 - Round 1: 16
- 2015 - Round 2: 16
Number of balls in the water at No. 17 by round since 2003
Click header to sort
| YEAR | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 6 | 10 | 3 | 10 | 29 |
| 2004 | 9 | 10 | 4 | 7 | 30 |
| 2005 | 7 | 8 | 25 | 28 | 68 |
| 2006 | 19 | 17 | 12 | 9 | 57 |
| 2007 | 50 | 21 | 10 | 12 | 93 |
| 2008 | 20 | 18 | 10 | 16 | 64 |
| 2009 | 16 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 32 |
| 2010 | 7 | 8 | 5 | 9 | 29 |
| 2011 | 12 | 14 | 8 | 6 | 40 |
| 2012 | 18 | 11 | 4 | 6 | 39 |
| 2013 | 15 | 9 | 7 | 13 | 44 |
| 2014 | 12 | 12 | 1 | 3 | 28 |
| 2015 | 21 | 16 | 3 | 5 | 45 |
| 2016 | 6 | 9 | 17 | 4 | 36 |
| 2017 | 19 | 29 | 10 | 11 | 69 |
| 2018 | 24 | 21 | 6 | 3 | 54 |
| 2019 | 14 | 6 | 8 | 17 | 45 |
| 2021 | 35 | 13 | 8 | 10 | 66 |
Overall, that means, most days, the water isn't much of a factor. The PGA Tour put together a graphic showing the trail of every shot into 17 on Thursday, and it's a good demonstration of the many different ways the players approach a 130-yard shot.
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