Rabbit HOLE 17 / 242 YARDS / PAR 3
The hole is called “Rabbit,” and players need to pull one out of their hats to hit this green in regulation. Only an arrow-straight shot will accomplish this, something complicated by the usual howling winds and the additional 22 yards of length since 2016. Looming above four nearby bunkers, the green is a naked pedestal that repels offline approaches, including into an unpopular pit of perdition off the right edge. Rabbit has a way of biting players at the worst time. Ernie Els was tied with Todd Hamilton in their 2004 playoff before overshooting 17 and taking a 4, losing what would have been a third Open title. In the 1997 Open, Jesper Parnevik missed a short birdie putt on 16 to tie Justin Leonard, then toe-hooked his tee shot on 17 and made bogey, ending his hopes. Leader Nick Price was already melting away down the stretch in the 1982 Open, but it was his bogey at 17 that finally gave Tom Watson, who was waiting in the clubhouse, the one-stroke winning margin.
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