Golf courses always invite wildlife and provide shelter to them. A variety of animals live in different golf courses and the Copperhead Course hosting the 2021 Valspar Championship is no different. The tournament is currently taking center stage on the PGA Tour, but the animals are stealing the limelight away from the golfers!
Watching animals appear on the golf courses is always interesting. It can range anywhere from alligators playing spoilsport or little birds resting on the grass. The 2021 Valspar Championship saw a few players encountering animals during their rounds and the scenes were adorable!
Golfers encounter the wildlife at the Copperhead Course
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Squirrels are very common in Florida. The Valspar Championship takes place at the Innisbrook Resort which is just north of Tampa. The Copperhead Course is filled with fox squirrels which are longer in size than the normal ones.
These squirrels don’t have any business on the golf course, but they interrupted J.B. Holmes during the final round. Holmes was at the par-5 first, when a fox squirrel ran onto the green and caused a delay in play.
Things are getting nutty on Sunday morning @ValsparChamp. 🐿 pic.twitter.com/Fk5uRXuc1W
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) May 2, 2021
A similar incident took place during Round 3 as well:
Hold still, please! 🚫🐿 pic.twitter.com/XxOimzfVEy
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) May 1, 2021
These squirrels are definitely not harmful, and so are turtles. The latter is calmer and more steady when compared to the fox squirrel, and an adorable turtle was spotted moving cluelessly at a bunker.
“I have to rake the bunker?” 🐢
-Turtle, probably pic.twitter.com/TwmQhxxdus
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) May 2, 2021
It is amazing that the turtle stared into the camera before attempting to move out of the bunker. Fans were wondering if it was waiting for a lob wedge!
How much will the champion earn at the 2021 Valspar Championship?
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The Valspar Championship offers a lucrative prize purse to the participants. Every player making it to the weekend will receive a payout, and the champion will be awarded the highest stake.
The 2021 Valspar Championship winner will receive $1.242 million from a total prize purse of $6.9 million. Furthermore, here’s how much the top five positions will earn at the tournament:
Position | Payout |
Winner | $1,242,000 |
Runner-up | $752,100 |
Third place | $476,100 |
Fourth place | $338,100 |
Fifth place | $282,900 |
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Who do you think will walk away with the honors at the Copperhead Course this year?
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