Someone was bound to eventually do it.
And that player ended up being Alejandro Tosti, the 28-year-old Argentine who on Wednesday ahead of The Players aced the famed 17th hole at TPC Sawgrass’ Stadium Course and promptly made a splash.
Yes, Tosti dove into the water.
After Tosti’s ball disappeared following a 133-yard strike with a 52-degree wedge, Tosti sprinted around the tee box before ending up at the edge of the lake. He then turned around before another person inside the ropes, presumably with Tosti, gave him a little nudge. Tosti then climbed back onto land and played to the crowd the entire way to retrieve his ball from the cup.
“My caddie said a little downwind, use the backslope, and I guess I used it pretty good,” Tosti said as he dried off.
Jerry Pate leaped into the lake left of the 18th hole after winning the 1982 Players, pushing in course designer Pete Dye and then-Tour commish Deane Beman in the process. And five years later, a fan went swimming at No. 17 while Jeff Sluman attempted a 6-foot putt in a playoff; Sluman had to back off the putt, then missed, and then lost to Sandy Lyle on the next hole.
Collin Morikawa’s caddie, JJ Jakovac, makes hole-in-one on par-3 17th at TPC Sawgrass
Jakovac made the ace during the event’s annual caddie competition at the infamous par-3 island hole.
But this is believed to be the first time that a PGA Tour player has celebrated an ace on this hole in this fashion.
Tosti’s splash, though, likely surprises few, as the second-year PGA Tour member, who regained his card via Q-School last December at TPC Sawgrass, is very much the unconventional touring pro, a fiery competitor who has kept wild birds as pets, once pulled a coconut from a tree during a round and drank it, and used to drive around tiny cars with big checks in them while on the Korn Ferry Tour.
Now, he can add this to his legend.
“I was hoping it was Thursday, not Wednesday,” Tosti added with a big smile.
Us, too, Ale.
