Categories
PGA Tour

Players Championship 2024 in numbers: Birdie records & the legendary 17

From Scottie Scheffler’s title defense and birdie records to the legendary hole 17: The Players Championship 2024 in numbers.

The Players Championship 2024 in retrospect. (Photos: Getty)
The Players Championship 2024 in retrospect. (Photos: Getty)

The Players Championship 2024 kept the excitement going right to the end and provided great entertainment over four days. After the tournament, records, a first for the title holder and the realization that the legendary 17th is not known for causing sweaty palms for one or two professionals for nothing. A look at the statistics of the famous island green and other relevant statistics.

Players Championship 2024: Drama on the final day and 1000 beach balls – A look at the 17

On the final day of the 2024 Players Championship, it was once again a real source of despair. On Sunday, as is usual in the final round, the flag was placed on the far right of the island green between the small front bunker and the water (136 yards/124 meters). The PGA pros obviously had their problems with this: Over the course of the final day, only four birdies fell, the lowest figure of the week. At the same time, a total of 18 balls landed in the water, more than ever before in the tournament. Nine players even had to accept a double bogey or more, including Martin Laird, who hit two shots into the water on his way to a quadruple bogey. Logically, the stroke average of 3.34 was also significantly higher than on the previous days (3.09, 3.06, 2.84). Denny McCarthy hit the best shot on the final day, missing the hole by just 1 foot 3 inches (38cm).

Beau Hossler secured a special record on the 17th: with his shot into the water on the 17th hole, the US American recorded the 1000th ball sunk in the ShotLink era (since 2003). American Chris Kirk secured a positive record in the second round. Kirk found the green safely and played his 41st consecutive round without sinking a ball in the water on hole 17. He thus drew level with Jason Dufner, who has played the most rounds without a ball in the water on hole 17 since 2003. However, Kirk’s record streak came to an end in the third round. On the moving day, the American recorded a double bogey, followed by another bogey on the final day.

Ryan Fox celebrated a special success on the 17th. The New Zealander sank an ace on the very first day – it was to remain the only hole-in-one of the 2024 Players Championship.

A total of 47 balls landed in the water on the 17th hole during the tournament.

Rory McIlroy and Sam Ryder set two birdie records at the 2024 Players Championship

At the Players Championship 2024, it was not only the island green of the 17th that set records, but also Rory McIlroy and Sam Ryder. After McIlroy set the round record with ten birdies on the first day of the tournament, Ryder went on to become a sole record holder over four days. The American recorded an impressive 27 birdies over the entire tournament, overtaking ‘Fuzzy’ Zoeller in the process. In the end, despite Ryder’s many birdies, it was ‘only’ good enough for T16 (-10).

Scottie Scheffler achieves a first with title defense and collects 4.5 million USD

A first for an anniversary: At the 50th Players Championship, Scottie Scheffler became the first player to defend his title at the prestigious tournament. On a dramatic final day, the world number one prevailed against Wyndham Clark, who tragically missed the play-off with a lip-out on the last hole. Scheffler’s tournament victory earned him 4.13 million euros (4.5 million USD). But the remaining participants can also enjoy the highest prize money on the PGA Tour.