Meet Me at 17: A Day on the Island Green at TPC Sawgrass

With the rest of the Fried Egg Golf crew headed back home, I pulled into the parking lot at TPC Sawgrass on Saturday morning wondering what to do with myself. The leaders weren’t going off for another five-and-a-half hours. Scottie Scheffler started out hot, but wasn’t even close to contention. As I wandered aimlessly, I remembered what I’ve read on hats, shirts, headcovers, and other items this week. It called to me like the voice called to Ray Kinsella in Field of Dreams: “Meet me at 17.”

That settled it. I was set for a full morning of sights and sounds at what may be the most famous hole on the PGA Tour. With tickets sold out for this third round, surely the amphitheater setting on the penultimate hole would have some extra juice.

I entered the Thunderdome just as Seamus Power, the first man out, was arriving. Lawn chairs lined all sides of the land surrounding the most famous “island” in golf — barely any of them filled to see the 39-year-old Irishman make his par. It’s a beautiful Saturday morning at the 2026 Players Championship and the two best players in the world are out elsewhere on the course… so why are people just baking in the sun hours before the day’s pairings come through?

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“Well I can’t walk that much anymore,” said one older gentleman I talked to who had placed his seat right behind the tee box. “I’ve got buddies walking around the whole course, but I’ll just wait here. They’ll come back.”

Fair enough. But with 40 minutes between Seamus Power’s final putt and the next tee shot (by none other than Patrick Cantlay, of course), how are people passing the time?

• I saw one group of Denver Broncos lawn chairs set up with a matching table, ready for a picnic. Clearly experienced tailgaters who are built for this tough stretch.
• Staying hydrated and eating enough was a must if you weren’t well-positioned in the shade. The beers were flowing before noon, with Kona Big Wave seemingly the beverage of choice. Many fans were disappointed with the selection at the nearest concession stand - maybe something to work on for next year.
• Naturally, topics of discussion included who would win the all-important Players Championship! “I hope Cameron Young wins because that’s my name,” said one child near me on the tee. Correct answer, kid. You’re getting the gist of it.
• Sleeping. People were sleeping on the ground, in their chairs, on top of a blanket, wherever. One fan told me he woke up at 6 a.m. and drove just about two hours to TPC Sawgrass, only to have the gate opening delayed until 9 a.m. anyway. My thoughts? If you’re napping before noon, you’re not built for the long haul. Hate to break it to you.
• One group of guys was decked out in St. John’s gear ahead of the Big East Championship. You could imagine my delight when I stumbled upon them lying out on the hill.
• All of the #activating earlier this week must’ve worked, because there was a lot of gambling talk amongst the youths waiting for some action. One guy was lamenting that Jhonny Vegas “choked away” his first round leader bet. If you’re betting Jhonattan Vegas first round leader — and doubly so if you’re loudly complaining about it two days later — I may suggest getting some help.

By the time the pairing of Rico Hoey and Daniel Berger rolled through, things were basically at capacity. Eric Cole got a rousing ovation for hitting it within eight feet. Kevin Roy even earned cheers from across the water for his birdie from the fringe on 16. All of these players were nice enough, but the common refrain from the masses focused on one man.

“When is Scottie coming?”

“Once Scottie plays, we’ll move.”

“We need to stay for Scottie.”

Four hours after the gates opened, up stepped the number one player in the world, appearing before the mass of humanity in lawn chairs waiting in the sun for this. Their reward for a morning of patience? A dart that spun just past the hole and an 11-foot make for birdie. The masses erupt. Will Ferrell activators lose their minds. Even those who were asleep HAVE to be awake now. Something was finally worth the wait.