
The secret underground tunnel where Open golfers hide from thunderstorms but only certain stars can use it at Portrush
Storms have hit the course this week already, causing practice rounds to be suspended.
5
Keegan Bradley and Patrick Cantlay take cover in the tunnel
Credit: Getty
5
Golfers, their caddies and officials shelter away from the storms
Credit: Getty
5
Akshay Bhatia of United States walks through the tunnel during a practice round
Credit: Getty
And more wet
weather
is predicted with heavy run and thunder forecast for the County Antrim coastline later this week.
However The Open stars like Rory McIlroy and
The man-made
subway
passes from the 10th green to the 11th tee, and was built so players can escape the log-jam of
golf
fans at The Open.
It goes underneath between 9th tee and 6th green and runs for 65 yards.
Read more on The Open
But this week it has served a second purpose — as a different type of bunker to the other 59 on the famous old course.
When thunderstorms hit the course during Monday's practice round, American
golf
stars Keegan Bradley and
lightning
.
And more storms are forecast for Thursday's open round.
However only those players who are on that corner of the seaside course will be able to shelter if thunderstorms hit.
Most read in Golf
BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK
If R&A chiefs decide to suspend pay over fears of
lightning
, the rest of the players on the course will be shuttled back to the clubhouse in
golf
buggies.
The tunnel took a year to build and was dug before the 2019 Open to allow players to speedily move from green to tee despite the thousands of fans.
The area at the back of the 10th green is a real bottleneck and golf chiefs feared chaos if players were forced to make their way through the crowds.
The 10th green is also close to the 8th and 6th greens, and to the 9th and 11th tees in one of the most congested parts of the course.
Open Championship golf club Royal Portrush has 65-yard underground tunnel for players to escape fans
5
The secret man-made tunnel runs from the 10th green to the 11th tee
5
Players simply disappear into the dunes when they go underground in the tunnel
So the 65-yard tunnel allows players to quickly move from the 10th green to the 11th tee and bypass the crowds.
156
golf
ers are competing at Royal Portrush aiming to walk away with the prestigious
on Sunday evening.
Around 275,000 fans are expected to visit the iconic Dunluce links venue across the eight days of both practice and tournament rounds.
is the defending champion after
his
stunning performance at Royal Troon last year.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Irish Sun
18 minutes ago
- The Irish Sun
Formula E champion Oliver Rowland talks Ibiza trip, Max Verstappen friendship and being a girl dad
OLIVER ROWLAND will treat his Nissan team to a knees up in Ibiza after the season finale in London. The Barnsley-born 32-year-old was crowned Formula E world champion in Berlin last time out. 4 Oliver Rowland celebrated his maiden Formula E win with four-year-old daughter Harper at Legoland Credit: Getty 4 Harper congratulated her dad on the team radio when he sealed the championship in Berlin Credit: Getty 4 Oliver Rowland won his maiden Formula E world title in Berlin Credit: Getty 4 Rowland plans to treat his Nissan team to a celebratory holiday in Ibiza Credit: Getty Rowland was reduced to tears on his final lap and his four-year-old daughter Harper said on the team radio: 'Daddy, you're the world champion!' The British driver secured four wins and seven podiums with his team this season and it was his first championship in seven seasons in Formula E. Rowland isn't one for the glitz and glamour of motor-sport, and is quiet off the track, preferring to do his talking in the car. He has spent the past week celebrating his title by spending quality time with Harper and his wife Lauren. They even took a trip to Legoland where Rowland couldn't help coach his daughter on the smaller cars, although she was too young to get her driver's license. He said: "It was my daughter's birthday last Tuesday, so I spent the full day at Legoland celebrating I was absolutely knackered by the end of the day! "She wasn't tall enough to get her driver's license but she went on the baby cars and I was asking her to get her head down like they do in go karts it was so funny." Rowland has been known to celebrate his wins with a "few beers" this season, but he will be taking that up a notch with a team trip to Ibiza after this weekend's final race in London. Most read in Motorsport BEST FREE BETS AND BETTING SIGN UP OFFERS He added: "Since we're so close to City airport and all in London together I decided to invite all the engineers away with me. "I just thought it was something different and nice to do for them. Let them have a nice two or three days. Glamorous TikToker Bianca Bustamante gives behind-the-scenes look at a Formula E race week "I wanted to appreciate all the work that the whole team does and it was a gesture to show my appreciation. We can have a bit of fun together." Rowland has a presence in F1, and has been with Alpine for 10-years helping with testing. He also enjoyed a short stint as a junior driver for Williams in 2018. He still has a presence in the sport, mentoring F1 prospect and Red Bull junior driver, Arvid Lindblad. And is good pals with four-time world champion Rowland added: "He sent me a message on on Saturday night, telling me to score points and calm down a little bit, "Then on Sunday, he told me, well done so yeah, it was really nice for him, because I was feeling pretty down after Saturday's mistake and he reached out. "Just said 'yeah look, you got this, you're doing a good job'." Rowland's most treasured congratulatory message remains from his daughter Harper though. Read more on the Irish Sun Being a 'girl dad' is his biggest achievement and wife Lauren is pregnant with baby number 2. He added: "At the beginning I always wanted to have a boy but another girl like Harper would be super cute."


The Irish Sun
an hour ago
- The Irish Sun
Oleksandr Usyk ordered to face rare ‘heavyweight who can cause him problems' following brutal Dubois KO
FANS believe that Oleksandr Usyk will come up against the one heavyweight he can "cause him problems." The Ukrainian fighter further punched his name in boxing history with his second Advertisement 3 Oleksandr Usyk beat Daniel Dubois on the weekend Credit: Getty 3 He has been ordered to fight Joshua Parker next Credit: Reuters 3 Fans think the Kiwi could cause Usyk issues Credit: Getty He is now on the lookout for his next opponent and fans are convinced of who it should be. Usyk has But he has been ordered to look further afield for his next entry into the ring. Advertisement READ MORE BOXING NEWS Fans are demanding that Usyk take on Kiwi fighter Joshua Parker, as he is the only remaining boxer who could challenge him. One posted: "Joseph Parker is the only heavyweight aside Fury who can give Usyk some problems, but Usyk still wins by stoppage, maybe." A second wrote: "Uysk can't win on stoppage. USYK on point. Parker will never quit." A third commented: "This would be a good fight." Advertisement Most read in Boxing Exclusive SUN VEGAS WELCOME OFFER: GET £50 BONUS WHEN YOU JOIN A fourth said: "Parker has earned his shot. And I genuinely believe Parker is the best person to give Usyk an actual tough fight." Another added: "Parker might just be Usyk's boogeyman. Parker has that 'thing' in him." 'Laughed it off' - Joseph Parker reveals Usyk's blunt reaction after face-to-face challenge as rival opens door to Fury trilogy Usyk vs Dubois round by round as brutal knockout cements Ukrainian's place in history OLEKSANDR USYK cemented his name in the list of all-time boxing greats as he became a three-time undisputed champion with a fifth round knockout win over Daniel Dubois. Usyk dropped Dubois multiple times as he put any doubts about his first win over the Brit to bed by cementing the repeat and avoiding the revenge. Here, SunSport's ROUND ONE Usyk looks light on his toes, swaying side to side, Dubois plants his feet and walks forward. Stiff jab from Usyk appears to almost wake Dubois up and the Brit responds with a one-two. Usyk searches to the body with a left, blocks a right hand from Dubois and ends the round with a menacing combo. Usyk 10 Dubois 9 ROUND TWO Dubois lunges in with a right hand, Usyk expertly takes half a step back and responds with a counter left. Another right misses from Dubois and he takes a left cross which has him on shaky legs. Already Usyk is finding his rhythm, making Dubois miss and certainly making him pay. Usyk 10 Dubois 9 (Usyk 20 Dubois 18) ROUND THREE Usyk staggers back after a right hand from Dubois - maybe more off balance than hurt. Dubois charges forward with a left hook, right hand but Usyk covers up well. Huge left hook lands on the button from Usyk, sweat sprays off Dubois face. Usyk 10 Dubois 9 (Usyk 30 Dubois 27) ROUND FOUR Right uppercut lands on Usyk's belt-line in a genuine case of dejavu from low-blow gate in their first fight. Dubois traps Usyk in the corner, lands a right but the Ukrainian legend slips off before any troubling damage can be done. Left hand lands for Usyk but Dubois grabs on and closes the distance, smart defence to cap off his best round so far. Usyk 9 Dubois 10 (Usyk 39 Dubois 37) ROUND FIVE Right hook followed by a left hand lands for Usyk has Dubois teetering backwards. Dubois comes forward, charging at Usyk and the two trade off in the corner but DOWN GOES DUBOIS after a counter right hook. He makes it to his feet but is dropped with another left hook and the fight is over! Dubois fails to beat the count and Usyk is once again undisputed heavyweight world champion. Usyk wins by KO And fans will be pleased to discover that Usyk has reportedly been ordered to fight Parker by the WBO. Advertisement He will have to defend his WBA, WBC, IBF and WBO heavyweight world titles against the New Zealander. The two fighters have 30 days to agree on a deal, and then there will be bids for the purse. Meanwhile, after beating Dubois, He said: "Left hook is like this [imitates a punch]. Advertisement "And that [is] Ivan. It's a Ukrainian name. Ivan is like a big guy who lives in a village who works. "'What is your name?' [In a heavy voice] 'My name is Ivan'. "It's hard, hard punch. Yeah, Ivan." The undefeated star revealed he wants to spend some time with his family before deciding on his next match. Advertisement He added: "I don't want anything next, this is enough. I want to rest now. I want to get home to my family and wife and my children. "I want to rest now but maybe - in two or three months - actually no, just rest." 'You just run out of things to say' – Usyk is a modern day great and one of the best boxers we have ever seen OLEKSANDR USYK is a modern day great and one of the best boxers we have ever seen. The Ukrainian Two of those came at heavyweight after he had already cleaned up the cruiserweight division. You just run out of things to say about Usyk. Everything that he does just impresses you more and more and more.


Irish Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Donald Trump's Doonbeg linked with hosting Amgen Irish Open in 2026
DP World Tour organisers insist that they are still looking at several venues with a view to hosting next year's Amgen Irish Open but Donald Trump's Doonbeg could be in line to do so. It was previously speculated that The Island in Dublin, Druids Glen in Wicklow and County Sligo GC were in the running. However, according to one report Trump's course in Clare is now close to being announced as the venue. The K Club is hosting this year's Amgen Irish Open in the first week of September, with Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry spearheading the list of hopefuls competing, and will also do so in 2027. If Doonbeg is awarded the national Open it will come just a week after the Walker Cup takes place at nearby Lahinch. Meanwhile, Leona Maguire has continued the good form she produced at the Evian Championship by taking a share of the first round lead at the ISPS HANDA Scottish Women's Open. Maguire, who conjured a hole in one during the first round of the major in France, holed out on her first hole, the 10th, for an eagle two. Leona Maguire prepares to play her second shot on the 12th hole with her caddie Phil 'Wobbly' Morbey during the first round of the ISPS HANDA Women's Scottish Open 2025 (Image:) The Cavan star went around Dundonald Links in 67 as she paired up with veteran caddie Phil Morbey for the first time to join newly-crowned Irish Open winner Lottie Woad - who turned pro this week - Rio Takeda and Nuria Iturrioz. Maguire will hope to continue her good form with next week's AIG Women's Open at Royal Porthcawl to come. Elsewhere, Tom McKibbin says he would relish playing The Open at Portmarnock if the R&A can greenlight a major being played in the Republic of Ireland for the first time. McKibbin was taken aback by the level of support he and the other Irish golfers received at Portrush last week. Tom Mckibbin of Northern Ireland tees off on day one of The 153rd Open Championship at Royal Portrush Golf Club (Image: Stuart Franklin/R&A/R&A via Getty Images) The 22-year-old played alongside Padraig Harrington for the first two days but McKibbin missed the cut and thus the weekend action, but saw enough of the reception Rory McIlroy in particular received to realise he was part of a special week in Northern Ireland. "I didn't see the stuff on Sunday," he said. "I obviously saw it the first couple days. On the Friday, I think he was finishing up when we were on the 12th or 13th, so you could obviously see them from very far away, and the crowds were incredible last week. "It was something I hadn't seen before, and it was really good, the support that they showed everyone. I think Portmarnock is a great links course, probably one of the best in the country, and it's a very special place, a special golf club with a lot of history. It's a very pure form of golf. "The Open there would be pretty cool, and to have two Open venues on the island would be pretty cool." Get the latest sports headlines straight to your inbox by signing up for free email alerts.