FanNation | Truth&Rumors | Sawgrass 17th losing its teeth?

The 10 tee shots hit into the water at the TPC Sawgrass Players Stadium Course's 17th hole Saturday were nearly half of Friday's total (18). That didn't mean the hole played easier. The Players Championship field played the 17th in an average of 3.284 in the third round, making the hole the third-most difficult on the course in relation to par. And after trailing Nos. 8 and 13 in degree of difficulty among the other par-3 holes, the 17th finally flexed its muscle and was the hardest of those holes on the course. There were nine birdies at No. 17, the fewest at the hole in any of the three rounds, and leader Paul Goydos was the only one to birdie the hole among the final four groups. Hitting the green didn't guarantee anything for the second day in a row, with 12 three-putts. There were 15 three-putts Friday, when the field was double what it was Saturday. Among the disasters Saturday were Anthony Kim's triple-bogey 6. But a wet tee shot at No. 17 didn't keep Greg Kraft from shooting the best round of the day with a 68.

Florida Times-Union