Russian golfer needs 17 shots to finish a single hole on European tour

Andrey Pavlov did not set the record for the worst hole in the history of the European Tour — but he came awfully close.

On Friday, the Russian plunked six balls into the water to score a 17 on the first hole at the Lyoness Open.

The Diamond Country Club in Austria is known for its ample water hazards and the par-5, 506-yard No. 1 is guarded all along the right side. Apparently, Pavlov could not get himself to aim left.

The rest of his day did not go much better with a rash of bogeys that added up to an 18-over 90 for the second round.

The outing landed him in the European Tour record book, tied for second with Chris Gane, who also shot a 17 on one hole at Gleneagles in 2003. The top — or bottom — spot is held by Philippe Porquier and his 20-shot fiasco at the 1978 French Open.