ESPN 2007 Players Championship

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. -- Here's the big idea: Pull up a seat on the grassy knoll that surrounds the water on TPC-Sawgrass' celebrated 17th hole, which in turn frames perhaps the most famous green in all of golf. Breathe in the sweet Florida air, feel the wind whip through your hair while watching 156 of the world's best golfers try to wiggle, worm and otherwise negotiate their way past the embedded obstacle.

Here's the big question: Why? Why plop down in front of one little par-3 when there are 17 other world-class holes to absorb on this challenging track? We could call it a study into the psyche of the fan, examine the emotional response to tee shots headed for a watery grave. We could investigate the mental fortitude needed by players to find the intended target. Or we could tell the truth. It's just plain fun to see guys hit golf balls over water.

The 17th is not the rowdiest par-3 on tour (that would be the FBR Open's beer-injected 16th) nor is it the prettiest (that honor, for the rest of time, belongs to No. 7 at Pebble Beach). It is, however, the most compelling, with 3,912 square feet of land stuck in the middle of a 4-foot-deep body of sparkling water -- the brainchild of course designer Pete Dye, who found gold in the erstwhile swampland some 25 years ago.

Here's the big payoff: Paul Casey, the first player in the first group to tee off at the 17th hole on Thursday, already among the leaders with two birdies in his opening seven holes, until ... splash! Just moments later, playing partner Charles Warren would join him in the drink, a sign of things to come on a record day at the Stadium Course.

With a blustery wind that gusted to 40 mph at times, a total of 46 players found the water with their tee shots. That's 30 percent of the field and just three fewer than last year's entire tournament. Four players -- Ben Curtis, Trevor Immelman, Kent Jones and Davis Love III -- also hit their ensuing shot into the hazard as well.

No. 17 played to an average score of 3.699, ranking as the toughest hole on the course Thursday. "That's a scary shot," said Chris DiMarco, who shot a 68 to claim sole possession of third place, one shot behind Phil Mickelson and Rory Sabbatini. "You know what? You have to take a deep breath there. When I got up over it, we had all three had different winds. ... You have to be real precise and pick your shot and hit a good, solid golf shot.

Most players didn't hit good, solid golf shots ... which all played into the delight of the fans, of course.

Watching the action at 17 has been compared with attending a NASCAR race just to watch the wrecks, but really there's more of a fatalistic quality to it, like pulling up a nice spot on a beach in hopes of seeing a few shark attacks in the ocean. When Luke Donald knocked it into the water on Thursday, one fan softly sang, "Splish, splash, I was taking a bath." Camilo Villegas' misfortune was greeted with an overstated, "Ay Caramba!" And Sergio Garcia was met with a simple, "Ole!"

Perhaps it's simply a prime example of misery loving company. There are an estimated 120,000 water balls at this spot every year, which means more poor saps rinse Pro-V1s each day than Barry Bonds has splashed home run balls into McCovey Cove. Ever.

Tiger Woods criticized the hole's place in the course layout earlier this week and called it "gimmicky." Fortunately for him, karma wouldn't have a place in this installment of "My Name is Eldrick"; on Thursday, he reached the middle of the green and two-putted for par.

Fellow superstar Mickelson also made 3 after getting up-and-down from the front bunker. Can you blame him for a major sigh of relief after getting a taste of 17's angry side earlier this week?

"It took me six times to finally ... get one on the green," the lefty said after a practice round on Tuesday. "The same club was coming up short. The same club was going long. The wind was varying. And finally the wind stayed about right and I got one on the surface."

Here's the big conclusion: Hitting a 1.62-ounce golf ball onto a relatively small circle of land in 40 mph winds isn't easy. But it sure is fun to watch.

So, how will players attack the hole for the rest of the week? Jim Furyk, one of the 46 poor souls whose tee shot will forever sleep with the fishes, has some advice.

"New day, new pin placement and new conditions," Furyk said. "You get on the tee, evaluate what you think your best chances are, and hopefully hit a good shot."

Jason Sobel is ESPN.com's golf editor. He can be reached at Jason.Sobel@espn3.com