The 'Diabolical' Overhanging Tree Everyone Is Talking About At The Players Championship

When Pete Dye originally laid out plans for the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass, the legendary designer apparently decided it would be fun for him and visually intimidating for the players if there was a large oak tree partially blocking the tee shot on six.

Said tree would lean over and be right on the edge of the players' peripheral vision, planting a seed of doubt in their mind and forcing them to strike their opening shot lower than usual or face potential embarrassment as the golf ball landed back at their feet.

Players rarely hit the branches after it was revealed back in 1980, but the 400-yard par-4 became a hole where pros and amateurs alike were simply happy to escape with par and move on from.

The old oak tree was a staple of arguably Dye's greatest project until being struck by disease and eventually removed in 2014. Back then, Davis Love III was one of those who celebrated its demise - with the story going that he sought out then PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem annually to ask if the tree had been removed yet.

Over the course of the next decade, golfers passed through the sixth hole with far fewer concerns. But, thanks to Love's part in a wider restoration project at TPC Sawgrass' Stadium Course, an oak tree will haunt anyone who plays off the back tees once more.

The two-time Players champion and TPC Sawgrass’ Director of Agronomy Jeff Plotts were among the team tasked with re-establishing Dye's original vision for a course that contained visual deceptions and unique quirks. That included finding a replacement for the lost tree.

Plotts and his team scoured the woods alongside the sixth fairway and eventually found a suitable nomination. The first attempt at removing and re-planting the new oak tree did not go to plan, but a quick re-dig and a slightly deeper position ensured the second attempt was much more successful.

Now, there is an imposing oak tree with a high point of 30 feet for players to hit their golf ball under and a low point of 19 feet - on the very right-hand side - for them to desperately try and avoid. Version 2.0 appears much more intimidating than the original, too, given its slightly thicker branches.

Golf Channel reporter, Johnson Wagner said during a special feature on the sixth hole pre-tournament that the teeing area was cut after the tree was planted to ensure the hole fit together perfectly.

Wagner also shared that - during a conversation with The Players Championship's lead rules official, Steven Cox - he learned the tee off locations come tournament time will be slightly further forward in order for players to still be thinking about the tree before their tee shots.

The former PGA Tour pro hit two solid shots which avoided the tree at the end of his piece while Beau Hossler was filmed clipping the plant with a tee shot during practice earlier on.

World No.2, Rory McIlroy appeared to enjoy the alteration, despite the four-time Major winner being known for his high launch angle with driver in hand.

He said: "It's good. In a way, it forces you to play the shot. It sort of frames it for you really nicely.

"You have to flight it a little bit, especially when you play practice rounds all the tee markers are hanging off the back of the box, so I'd say the tee box won't be as far back as I played it yesterday, but I certainly have to hit it a little lower than my preferred launch window."

However, Wyndham Clark admitted he was unsure about the tree returning.

Clark said: "6, I'm still indifferent about -- I get bringing the tree back that was kind of the cool thing when I played the Junior Players here and when you'd play this seven, eight years ago.

"The only thing I don't like is depending on conditions, if they play it all the way back, it's almost too penal of a hole. I thought it was a great short hole to begin with. It was a narrow tee ball. You hit it anywhere from 220 to 250 and you're in a great spot.

"Now that area is 240 to 270, and if you get into the wind, if you hit a 3-wood I think you're going to hit the top of the tree. I'm hoping they just play it from the middle of the tee box so it's not too big of an issue and more of an aesthetic thing."

However you feel about the tree, it is sure to remain a talking point for as long as it's still looming over the tee box on number six.