Conquering The 17th

2015 Winner Rickie Fowler Wants To Emulate Paul Azinger’s Success On Hole No. 17 During The Upcoming PLAYERS Championship.

There was a time when Paul Azinger always assumed but had never sat down to find out for sure if he was the only player to hold a special distinction in golf. Eventually, Azinger realized his unique place in PLAYERS Championship lore.

At the 2015 PL AYERS Championship, Azinger ’s position wasn’t threatened. But Rickie Fowler sure made Azinger sit up and take notice.

Since the first PLAYERS Championship held at TPC Sawgrass in 1982, only one player has birdied the 17th hole 100 percent of the time during one tournament. Azinger is that player. There is no “100 percent” for Fowler, but the Californian does need an asterisk because he birdied the par-3 17th island hole—get ready—five times. It’s just that he needed six tries to get there.

More on that in a minute. But, first, Azinger’s story. It’s quite a tale. In 1987, Azinger made history by going birdiebirdie-birdie-birdie on TPC Sawgrass’ No. 17. Nobody had done that before or since.

Azinger vividly recalls that 1987 tournament, his four tee shots over water to the island green and all four birdie putts that made their way to the bottom of the hole. But what is most memorable to him is that he was in contention to win THE PLAYERS, his four birdies just a side note to what he was really trying to accomplish.