THE PLAYERS Championship 2017: Prop bets for the 17th hole at TPC Sawgrass
By Luke Norris
You can now place bets solely on what happens at the 17th hole of THE PLAYERS Championship this week at TPC Sawgrass.
THE PLAYERS 17th hole at TPC Sawgrass is arguably one of the most famous holes on the PGA TOUR, wouldn’t you say? Well, at least as par-3’s are concerned anyway. It may not be as demanding as the 12th at Augusta or as rowdy as the 16th in Phoenix but as soon as each of the 147 players scheduled to play THE PLAYERS Championship hits the first tee box, he’s thinking about that shot at 17.
Now, take the fact that it’s an island (it’s technically a peninsula by the way) and it doesn’t seem all that difficult, does it? It’s the shortest hole on the golf course at 137 yards (a wedge for just about every pro out there) and has the largest green at 26 yards across. But as much as one might want to pretend that water isn’t there, it’s hard to get that out of the brain when standing right there with a sea of blue between yourself and the target.
Since THE PLAYERS moved to TPC Sawgrass in 1982, the popularity of this hole has obviously grown exponentially and it’s estimated that more than 100,000 balls are hit into the water in a given year, including a few by the best players in the world. The PGA Tour didn’t start tracking how many balls go into the water until 2003 so while we don’t know every stat regarding the 17th hole in the past 35 years, we do know that 644 balls have gone swimming in that time. The least amount came in 2014 when just 28 went in, which is quite a bit less than the 93 that got wet in 2007. The average per year for THE PLAYERS is 46. So what could you possibly do with that information? As it turns out, you could turn that into some cash if you’re so inclined.
Bookmaker.eu has decided to cash in (they hope, anyway) on the popularity of prop bets at big events like the Super Bowl and listed a number of entertaining wagers at the 17th at Sawgrass. Here’s the full list as it pertains to the “Island Green.”
How many tee shots will settle in the water on 17th hole during the tournament?
The current over/under sits at 39.5.
How many tee shots during Round 4 will settle in the water on 17th hole?
The current over/under sits at 6.5.
Highest score on 17th hole during any round of the tournament?
The current over/under sits at 7.
Will the eventual winner hit a ball in the water of the 17th hole during the tournament?
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Yes +290 (a $100 bet would win $290)
No -380 (must bet $380 to win $100)
How many birdies will the eventual winner record on the 17th hole during the tournament?
The current over/under sits at 1.
Will there be a hole-in-one on the 17th hole during the tournament?
Yes +350
No -500
Will Dustin Johnson hit a tee shot in the water on the 17th hole during the tournament?
Yes +350
No -500
Will Rory McIlroy hit a tee shot in the water on the 17th hole during the tournament?
Yes +400
No -600
Will Jordan Spieth hit a tee shot in the water on the 17th hole during the tournament?
Yes +500
No -800
Will Jason Day hit a tee shot in the water on the 17th hole during the tournament?
Yes +500
No -800
Will Phil Mickelson hit a tee shot in the water on the 17th hole during the tournament?
Yes +325
No -450
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