The 17th hole: Water-ball updates and more

TPC Sawgrass' famed par-3 17th with its island green is one of golf's most iconic holes. We'll keep you updated on how the players are faring during this year's PLAYERS Championship:
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MORE ON THE 17TH: Interactive graphic | First-timers discuss the 17th | Play the closing holes online

Balls in the water

Round 1 (total of 7)

Player Hole score Comment Aaron Baddeley Bogey From drop zone, landed 11 feet, 5 inches from pin Michael Bradley Bogey From drop zone, landed 9 feet from pin Paul Casey Bogey From drop zone, landed 1 foot, 6 inches from pin Greg Owen (2) Quadruple bogey From drop zone, landed in water. Drop zone again, 21 feet, 9 inches, two-putted David Toms Double bogey From drop zone, landed 7 feet, 1 inch from pin, two-putted Jimmy Walker Bogey From drop zone, landed 12 feet, 6 inches from pin

Pin locations at 17 this week

ROUND 1 Front left ROUND 2 Back center

ROUND 1 NOTES

• The 17th was the easiest green to hit on the course Thursday, as 91 percent of the field hit the green and only seven balls found the water. This is the highest greens in regulation percentage on the 17th hole in a round since 1992 (when the TOUR began tracking this data).

• As Troy Matteson walked up the 16th fairway, he looked over the 17th and heard ... nothing. Well, maybe not complete silence, but close. Fewer balls in the water meant fewer trainwrecks to watch.

"I was like, man, they're not being rowdy over there or anything," Matteson said. "Everyone is probably hitting it close today, and it's the hardest 124-yard shot in golf right now."

• PLAYERS rookie Alex Prugh birdied the 17th hole in his first competitive round at TPC Sawgrass, draining a 10-foot, 2-inch putt. "It's an easy hole," he said with a laugh.

Actually, this is not the first time Prugh has birdied 17. But until Thursday, all his other birdies had been of the virtual variety through the Tiger Woods PGA TOUR video game.

" I've birdied every time I've played it before this, basically on Tiger Woods Golf," he said. "So, you know, set my standards high."