SUPERSTAR golfers have a secret way of escaping thunderstorms when they strike at Open venue Royal Portrush – an exclusive underground tunnel that burrows through the sand dunes.
Storms have hit the course this week already, causing practice rounds to be suspended.
Keegan Bradley and Patrick Cantlay take cover in the tunnel[/caption]
Golfers, their caddies and officials shelter away from the storms[/caption]
Akshay Bhatia of United States walks through the tunnel during a practice round[/caption]
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 Scottie Scheffler have a secret escape route from the storms by sheltering in safety in a 65-yard underground tunnel.
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 the Portrush course – between the 9th tee and 6th green and runs for 65 yards.
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 Patrick Cantlay took shelter in the tunnel as play was suspended due to the threat of 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.
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If R&A chiefs decide to suspend play 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.
So the 65-yard tunnel allows players to quickly move from the 10th green to the 11th tee and bypass the crowds.
156 golfers are competing at Royal Portrush aiming to walk away with the prestigious Claret Jug 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.
Xander Schauffele is the defending champion after his stunning performance at Royal Troon last year.
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