Attention players at the Players: The 17th hole at TPC Sawgrass isn’t *that* hard

Let me preface some semi-serious statistical analysis by letting you know that I played TPC Sawgrass’ 17th hole once – and I walked off the island green with a par. So what’s the big deal, people? We’re talking about a 137-yard par 3. It’s a wedge! (Well, a 9-iron for me. With a slightly helping wind.)

Yet somehow, TPC’s 17th has become the poster child for daunting shots in golf. Sure, there have been numerous trainwrecks in the water that surrounds the railroad ties, and the Players has been lost on No. 17 on plenty of occasions. But what seems to be overlooked is that the tournament has also been put away on the short hole many times.

In 2015, Rickie Fowler destroyed the myth that No. 17 can’t be owned, even with a back-right hole location that appears like it’s coming straight out of the water. Even under the crucible of late final-round pressure.

Fowler birdied the short hole as part of his five-under stretch on the final four holes of regulation. He then birdied it again in a three-hole playoff, and on the first hole of sudden death to finally put away Kevin Kisner, who narrowly missed pulling off a third straight birdie on the hole as well.