Water Log: Tracking No. 17 at THE PLAYERS -- Round 2 Update

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The 17th at TPC Sawgrass closed Friday morning by sending five consecutive shots for a swim.

The par-3 17th at TPC Sawgrass is one of the most iconic holes in all of golf. This week, we'll keep you updated on how the players fare in finding the island green during THE PLAYERS Championship.
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MORE ON NO. 17: Round 1 Update | Walk from 16's green | Part of unique finish | 360-degree tour

A total of 14 balls from 12 players found the water hazard surrounding No. 17's green at TPC Sawgrass during Friday's second round of THE PLAYERS. The two-day total of 26 balls in the bottom of the pond is the highest in back-to-back days since the weekend of the 2008 PLAYERS.

ROUND 2 NOTES

• Only two players in the morning wave (Bill Lunde and Peter Hanson) had found the water on 17 before the morning's final group made its way to the tee and hit five consecutive shots into the drink.

First it was Alex Cejka over the back. Then Edoardo Molinari followed. Paul Goydos wasn't far behind. Cejka was long again and Molinari came up short from the drop area before Goydos finally found dry land about 23 feet from the pin. When all was said and done, five balls were lost to the water and a total of 11 shots were lost to par. (Watch the video here)

• How deflating is it to lose a ball on No. 17 in the first round? Eleven players did it this year and 10 missed the cut. Contrast that with the six of 12 who lost a ball in Round 2 and will be playing this weekend.

• Last year, 10 of 12 players who went swimming on No. 17 missed the cut (83 percent). This year, the percentage dropped with 16 of 23 missing the cut (70 percent).

• Of the 16 players who hit into the water in Round 1 or 2 and missed the cut, seven would have made it to the weekend if they had pared the hole instead.

• No one hit into the water in each of the first two rounds.

• Damage control was a slightly more difficult task Friday. During the first round, 11 players found the water and their average score was 5.18. On Friday, a dozen players went for a swim and their scoring average on No. 17 was 5.25.