Watch Russell Knox put three balls in the water on the 17th at Sawgrass

Russell Knox was just five shots off the lead when he arrived on the 17th tee towards the end of the third day at The Players Championship, but 10 minutes later he was out of contention.

The WGC-HSBC champion put three balls in the water on the infamous island-green par-three at TPC Sawgrass, and only an eight-foot putt saved him from the humiliation of running up a double-figure score.

Knox's first effort did not make the carry, and his shoulders slumped further shortly afterwards when he shanked his second ball into the vast lake.

The Scot decided to remain at the tee box, but he then headed to the drop zone after his third attempt also came up short of the target.

Live PGA Tour Golf

Knox raised his arms in triumph after finally getting his ball onto the green, and he received another huge ovation when, after knocking his first putt way past the hole, he sunk the return to card a nine.

"An epic fail," he said after signing for an 80. "I had no idea what I was going to make, and I ended up making an awesome putt for a nine! After I was walking through the tunnel to the 18th tee, I was like, 'Whoa, that was to avoid a 10.'

"The only time I've ever hit it in the water, I did it on purpose the week before the tournament two years ago, because I had never hit in the water before. That's the first, second and third time I've ever done it. It's a different story once you've hit two in a row in the water. The green felt like it was the size of a quarter."

Knox is the fourth player to make a nine on the penultimate hole, and the first since Angel Cabrera in 2012, but Bob Tway still holds the overall record when he stumbled to a 12 in 2005.

Click on the video above to see Russell Knox's chances come undone at the 17th ...