Golf can be a cruel game.

There's no way around it. If it's not your day, or you don't quite get the rub of the green, it can be torturous. Ernie Els can testify to that, his opening round six-putt on the first hole at the Masters made for difficult viewing.

An off day on any course can be testing, but not quite getting it right on one of the toughest holes in the world is just some sort of cruel sadism.

Russel Knox had a mixed front nine yesterday at Sawgrass, a birdie and two bogeys before the turn was manageable. The course was playing particularly difficult yesterday, Kevin Chappell said: "I don't know if someone was trying to prove a point, but point taken. The golf course is difficult and probably got a little out of hand."

On the par three 17th, Knox struggled to put it lightly. Finding the water three times and carding a nine put a massive dent in his top ten ambitions.

Russell Knox. 🙈 https://t.co/cx1COrlUU6

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) May 14, 2016