No. 17 pin location frustrates golfers in finale

The 17th hole spent the final day of its first post-Ike’s Tree tournament troubling players with its tricky green and pin.

Only Justin Rose, who was in the 22nd of 26 pairings, birdied the hole.

Even without the Eisen­how­er Tree, No. 17 confounded veterans and rookies as it ranked as the second-hardest hole in the fourth round, mostly because of the pin location.

“The pin’s right over that bunker, and that little down-slope right there, just over the bunker, is as purple as any other part of the golf course,” said Chris Kirk, who parred the hole. “I hit a full, ripped-high 8-iron that landed right by the hole and ended up about 12, 15 feet past. Then it’s a really tricky double-breaking putt from there.”

The hole named Nandina gave up a combined 18 birdies in the first two rounds; the count sank to four on the weekend.

“That’s a pretty tough one,” said Jason Day, who also parred it Sunday. “You get yourself just left of the pin, it’s pretty quick going downhill. I hit actually a really good one in there, to about 12 feet, and I felt like I just barely touched it and it still got past the hole.”

Going into the final round, No. 17 ranked third in fairways hit and was second in fewest putts needed.

That changed Sunday, as the field averaged 1.804 putts against a tough pin and a firm green. The putt count was second-highest for the day after No. 8.

Before this week’s play, the debate about No. 17 centered on how the view changed without the Eisen­how­er Tree. Sunday proved the hole still has a few tricks.

“With the trees planted on both sides of the fairway, it almost looks a little more narrow than before,” Nick Wat­ney said. “Before, the trees were blocking so much of the hole you couldn’t really tell where the edge of the fairway was. But now it makes it even – visually it makes it look tighter, even though the tree’s not there. I’m sure we’ll have something in store for us next year.”