PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – The man called ‘El Pato’ (the duck) sent his golf ball swimming three times at the par-3 17th on Thursday.
Angel Cabrera made a nine on the island-green par 3 in the opening round of The Players Championship en route to 6-over 78 on Thursday. After the round, Cabrera withdrew from the tournament, citing personal reasons.
Cabrera had the highest score of the day on a single hole, but was three shy of the all-time high score at the 17th. Bob Tway had a 12 there in gusty conditions in the third round in 2005.
Two other players tied the mark for highest score on a hole at the Stadium Course. Sung Kang opened with a quintuple-bogey 9 at the first hole, tying the mark set by Miguel Angel Jimenez in the second round in 2002. Jerry Kelly also took an eight, but on the par-4 fourth hole. His score matched John Daly’s score there from the final round in 1992.
Kang got back to even before closing with a double bogey and bogey to shoot 75. Kelly shot 82.