During the 2024 The Players Championship, the weather forecast is always a concern. When the wind picks up, in pretty much any direction, it suddenly makes the 17th hole at TPC Sawgrass play much more difficult.
Windy conditions make the par-3 17th hole -- the dubbed island green (even though it's technically a peninsula) -- play extremely difficult. Players are going to have to judge a strong wind that is prone to swirling on the most famous par 3 on the PGA Tour schedule.
It's likely that a lot of balls are going to go in the water off the tee on Saturday, and that might mean this day will produce a new single-round record for the most balls in the water on the 17th hole at TPC Sawgrass during The Players.
What's the single-round record for the most balls in the water on the 17th hole at TPC Sawgrass during The Players?
The single-round record for the most balls in the water on the 17th hole at TPC Sawgrass during The Players is 50, which was set in the first round of The Players Championship in 2007.
This was the first year of the tournament's move from March to May, and the Stadium Course was set up particularly firm and fast. This meant that the 17th green, which is merely 81 feet wide and 78 feet deep, was especially hard to hit.
All told, that meant 50 balls found the water off the tee -- to say nothing of balls that found the water from the drop zone, which does not offer that much of a bargain of a shot after taking a penalty drop.
The record of 50 only dates back through the ShotLink era, which started in 2003 and runs into the current day. TPC Sawgrass has hosted The Players on the Stadium Course since 1982, but there hasn't beena day quite like that Thursday in 2007.
