A Rare Visitor at Royal Liverpool Halted Play During the Nail-Biting Third Round of the 2023 Open Championship

This season, the PGA Tour and European Tour have witnessed many a hilarious moment. From Tom Kim’s mud bath to Adam Hadwin chucking his golf club into the bushes, there have been quite a few incidents. However, nothing compares to the hilarity that ensued at the Open Championship in Hoylake on Saturday.

A surprise visitor on the golf course halted gameplay during round 3. Find out who it was that managed to still the golfers on their quest to earn the title with just an appearance.

A rare sight at Royal Liverpool needed special attention

75 players are lined up to tee off. There is light rain and a little breeze creating pleasant weather for visitors but a challenge for the golfers. Fresh pools of water are accumulating in places around Hoylake’s prestigious golf club. And amid it all a rare species of Natterjack on the 13th green put a stop to the game, albeit only for a little while.

The particular species of toads happens to be one of the loudest specimens that breed in fresh, shallow water bodies. The light rain pooling on the golf course invited the little friend to visit, perhaps to lay a few eggs.

Although a variation of a toad normally would be dealt with swiftly, the Natterjack’s diminishing numbers make it a protected species in the United Kingdom. They have to be handled by experts as per the law. So, James Bledge, the links manager for Royal Liverpool, took on the responsibility to remove the helpless creature from the grounds.

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The Wildlife Trust is doing what it can to protect the Natterjacks from wandering into civilized regions. However, the seaward area at Hoylake is beckoning to them with a breeding call. The toads are mostly found in sandy or marshy regions in recent times in Scotland and England. Hopefully, this monsoon they will find enough breeding ground to increase their numbers and not be such a rare sight anymore.

The third round at Royal Liverpool is going strong

Several golfers who made the cut are already making an attempt to bridge the gap and climb the ranks on Saturday at Hoylake. Jon Rahm managed a 7-under par by the end of round 3 which puts him at 5-under par in total, thus igniting hope for him to catch up with Brian Harman.

Rory McIlroy made a 2-under par, now with a total of 3-under par. Although it may seem like a stretch to climb to first position, a steady decrease in strokes now could very well help him boost his standing. Alex Fitzpatrick and his older brother Matt Fitzpatrick both made it through round 3 with 4 under par. They both have a cumulative 2 under par going into the final round 4.

What are your thoughts on the interrupted gameplay? Have you ever spotted a Natterjack in real life? Share your story in the comments below.

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