The 17th hole at TPC Sawgrass without the name and prestige should be a wedge or short iron and routine par for the best players in the world.
However, when you add in the water, the stage and the pressure-packed situation, 143 yards to a relatively large green can actually be pretty difficult.
Rory McIlroy, of course, is one of the best players in the world, so on non-tournament days at TPC Sawgrass, the 17th goes from pressure-cooker to birdie opportunity… unless there is a twist.
Ahead of next month’s Players Championship, the unofficial 5th major invited McIlroy up to Jacksonville to play the 17th in a way he never had previously: using every club in his bag.
Hitting the Island Green is hard enough.
But with every club in the bag?@McIlroyRory took the challenge while getting in some early reps at THE PLAYERS. pic.twitter.com/q7iHobs2Jg— THE PLAYERS (@THEPLAYERSChamp) February 5, 2019
While working his way through the bag, McIlroy detailed his personal memories of the Players, the challenge its change in the schedule provides — it will be played in six weeks, March 14-17, as opposed to its more recent May date — as well as how he expects the course to play in a few weeks.
In the end, McIlroy only managed to hit the green with four of the 13 clubs he attempted — pitching wedge, 9-iron, 7-iron and somehow, 3-wood.
