17th at Sawgrass proves major headache

Tiger Woods and John Daly, two golfers headed in seemingly opposite directions, shared a similar problem today.

So did a number of their opponents.

No surprise -- it was the 17th hole at The Players Championship.

Of the 123 rounds completed, 41 balls landed in the lagoon surrounding the tiny island green on the most famous hole at the TPC Stadium Course.

For Daly, it ruined an unexpectedly decent round. He hit two balls in, ended up with a triple bogey and finished at 5-over-par 77.

Meanwhile, Woods showed he was merely human on No. 17. The world's best player hit a 9-iron into the water, had to make a 10-foot putt to save double bogey, and finished at 1-under 71 instead of tied with Hal Sutton for the lead.

It was Woods's first double bogey since the Nissan Open five weeks ago.

"It's no big deal making that double, because under these conditions, if you would have told me I could shoot in the red, I would have taken it," Woods said. "Right now, that's exactly where I'm at."

The conditions Woods spoke of included gusty winds that made playing conditions as difficult as usual on one of the tour's toughest courses.

The wind was working against the players through most of the day on the 137-yard 17th. That, plus a pin position near the front of the green, made it difficult for Daly.

"It ruins your whole day," he said.

Daly said his first shot was a poorly struck 9-iron that hit the front slope of the green, then rolled backwards, through some newly thickened rough that's designed to keep balls from rolling into the water, and into the drink. He struck the second shot better, but the result was the same.

"I don't want the tour to get mad at me, but it doesn't reward a good golf shot," Daly said. "When you're against the wind and the pin is up front, there are going to be a lot of good golf shots that spin back into the water."

No. 17 played to an average of 3.504 strokes, third toughest on the course. Ten players, including Daly, made triple bogey or worse.

BIG, BAD DADDY

Bernhard Langer's wife, Vikki, gave birth to the couple's fourth child Monday. It was a boy, Jason, and the family brought him home Wednesday afternoon.

It limited Langer to just six holes of practice, because he arrived in Ponte Vedra Beach late Wednesday afternoon.

The lack of practice didn't seem to be a factor in the first round. Langer shot-2 under, part of a seven-way tie for second.

"I am pretty focused in whatever I do," Langer said. "That is one of the talents I have, I suppose. But I am very pleased that mom and the baby are healthy and everything is great."

WELCOME TO THE CLUB

Sergio Garcia got an ugly introduction to the TPC course. He shot 10-over 82.

The 20-year-old Spaniard conceded he didn't play well -- he missed three 3-foot putts -- but still thought he may have scored worse than what he deserved.

"I made probably four, five bogeys even though I hit good shots to the green," Garcia said. "But then, there was the three-putting and things like that. It was a little bit of everything, but I probably got a little more than what I think I deserve."

WALRUS SINKS

Craig Stadler had the blowup of the day on the par-5 16th hole. He chunked a shot in the rough. The ball traveled about five feet, then Stadler walked up to the ball, and without pausing, blasted it out of the rough and into the water. He took an 8 on the hole, his second triple bogey of the round.

On No. 12, Stadler tripled after he double-hit a wedge in the rough. On the par-5 11th, he bogeyed, a fatal flaw on the third-easiest hole on the course.

He finished the round at 11-over 83.

"I kind of grinded the front nine, missed a couple putts, but shot 3-over," Stadler said. "I thought I'd get a couple back on the back and still be all right on a day like this. Then 11 and 12 kind of put an end to it. It was just a joke after 12."

DIVOTS

Justin Leonard had two eagles as part of his round of 1-under 71. ... Steve Elkington withdrew from the tournament because of a stomach virus. He was replaced by Matt Gogel, who shot 79. ... Joe Ozaki made an early appearance on the leaderboard for the third straight year, shooting 2-under. ... Phil Mickelson started on the back side and shot 10-over. He finished at 11-over 83. "This is not a course you want to play when you're not striking it well," he said. "Over the first nine holes, that was the case. I don't know what else to say." ... Defending champion David Duval opened with two birdies, but played the rest of the course at 5-over.

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