Scot takes a NINE at infamous par-3 17th hole at Sawgrass

Russell Knox hopes go down with a splash 

(well, three of them, actually!)

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Florida (AP) - Russell Knox saw the flag on the front part of an island when he stood on the 17th tee, knowing another birdie would keep him in the hunt Saturday at The Players Championship.
 Instead, the man from Inverness became the latest victim of the most notorious par 3 in golf.
He ran up a NINE at the 17th and then a bogey at the last for 43 shots to come home and a third round of 80. His earlier scores had been 68 and 67.
The Scot has plummeted to T40 on one-under 215.
“An epic fail,” Knox said.
The first tee shot came up just short.
Splash!
The second shot from the tee was a shank that never had a chance.
Splash!
And Russell also hit his THIRD tee shot into the water .. which means he must have got a par 3 with his fourth ball off the tee! 

Admittedly, Knox was in shock.
“It was an epic fail. Until you’re in that position, you don’t understand what it feels like. Your blood is just pumping through your brain,” Knox said. “It’s a different story once you’ve hit two in a row in the water. The green felt like it was the size of a quarter (sixpence).”
He conceded that he continued not to think clearly because he hit a third shot from the tee box. Again, it splashed. Finally, for his fourth tee shot – his seventh stroke – Knox moved to the drop zone and put his shot onto the green.
“I should have gone to the drop zone after the first (tee shot),” Knox said. “I never realized it was a shorter shot (82 yards). It’s an easy shot from there.”
From about 38 feet, Knox two-putted. “I ended up making an awesome putt for 9,” he said, smiling.
Yes, he smiled, because that’s the genuineness of Knox. When he came out of the scorer’s room, the 30-year-old found his parents waiting for him. Hugs were exchanged and smiles went back and forth. Knox, who bogeyed the 18th, shot 80, dropped to 1 under overall and from T-6 he was now T-40.
Finally, he was asked about Sunday, when he’ll make another visit to the 17th tee.
“I’ll be terrified, probably,” Knox said.
Cheers to him, because he still had a smile on his face.