Players chase birdies at Portrush as hawks target seagulls
Tournament organisers have drafted in a team of Harris hawks to keep players and fans safe from swooping gulls on the lookout for snacks or even the odd golf ball.
The four birds of prey, named Aurora, Belle, Caine and Cheyenne, have been at the course since Sunday under the watchful eye of falconer David Trenier.
"They are very, very sociable, used to working with large crowds and are big enough to spook the gulls enough to move them off," Trenier told BBC News Northern Ireland.
The Royal Portrush course had been transformed into a golfing metropolis for the week with a huge range of eating options for the 278,000 fans expected throughout the event.
That also means there are rich pickings for scavenging seagulls which are known to snatch burgers, sandwiches and ice creams out of the grasp of unsuspecting punters.
"When they come in, the presence of the hawk on the course puts them off, they make sure the gulls don't come down," Trenier said. "It is so lovely to see the public reaction, they want to talk and they want to ask questions.
"The kids want to have a picture taken."
The squadron of Harris hawks will have some powerful back-up this weekend with the presence of a 24-year-old bald eagle known as Pilgrim flying in for duty.
"He will definitely disturb the gulls," Trenier said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
4 minutes ago
- BBC News
Young wins by six shots to claim maiden PGA title
Wyndham Championship - final leaderboard-22 Young (US); -16 Meissner (US); -15 Noren (Swe), Hubbard (US), -14 Rai (Eng), Koivun (US), Kirk (US).Selected others: -13 Fitzpatrick (Eng), -11 Hall (Eng), -8 Wallace (Eng)Full leaderboard American Cameron Young won the Wyndham Championship by six shots to claim the first PGA title of his 28-year-old, a seven-time runner-up on the tour, shot a two-under-par 68 in the final round to finish on 22 under at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, North Mac Meissner was second and Sweden's Alex Noren third, one stroke further back."I've been waiting for it for a while," said a tearful Young, who was playing his 94th tournament on tour. "I never really thought I'd be that emotional about it. I wasn't going to let it get away from me today."Young, who led by five shots after the third round, bogeyed the opening hole but birdied the next five and could afford to drop shots on the 16th and is the 1,000th winner on the PGA said he would "love the chance to play" in the Ryder Cup against Europe in New York in September."That team is the goal for many of us," he Wyndham Championship is the final tournament of the PGA Tour's regular top 70 players in the FedEx Cup standings qualify for the opening play-off event, the St Jude Championship in Memphis, Tennessee, starting on Thursday.
Telegraph
3 hours ago
- Telegraph
Charley Hull delivers best major performance but plays bridesmaid to Miyu Yamashita
For the second time in three years, Charley Hull had to face up to the agony of finishing second at the Women's Open after she was denied by the inspired Miyu Yamashita. Yet credit to the Englishwoman for her remarkable recovery from a virus that saw her faint on the course three times in France last month and struggle to make it here feeling anywhere near 100 per cent. As bouncebacks go, this was so almost the stuff of legend as the 29-year-old shrugged off losing almost a stone in weight and 10 per cent in swing speed. 'Listen, coming into this week I didn't think I was going to make the cut,' Hull said, after a 69 left her on nine-under and two shots short. 'That's the truth of it. I wasn't hitting it very well and I couldn't prepare as well as I wanted to because I was feeling so poorly. 'I obviously collapsed three times at the last major [three weeks previously in Evian-les-Bains] and still wasn't feeling well when I got here on Sunday. So I think I've done well, and considering my mindset coming into it, I'm pretty proud of myself.' As she should be. Naturally, there will be hurt, because this was her fourth runner-up finish in the majors and she is understandably fed up with being the bridesmaid. But when Hull reflects, she may well look on this as her best major to date. Certainly, Hull should take so much from this, not least the gratitude from the South Wales links for giving it the gripping contest it craved as Royal Porthcawl hosted its biggest-ever event. What a finale this was, as heavy early drizzle gave way to glorious sunshine, the winds gusted and the protagonists rose to the challenge. On any other day, against any other rival, Hull would probably have prevailed and lifted her first major title. But as Hull tore into the three-shot overnight deficit and the crowd responded to the home heroics, Yamashita, the world No 15 who turned 24 on Saturday, simply refused to move aside. The Japanese player's only bogey was on the 17th when the trophy was all but secured and in tension such as this – and, indeed, in conditions such as this – this 70 signified a performance of the very highest quality. Yes, Yamashita was on the better side of the draw – the compiled scores of the later-early starters were almost two shots lower than the other half in the opening rounds – but nobody could deny that the winner was worthy. The guts she displayed with the marauding Hull in pursuit was summed up on the 13th when she holed a 15-footer for a par. That came a few minutes after Hull had converted from a similar distance on the 14th and at that stage it appeared that the favourite of the galleries was about to draw level. 'I had goosebumps,' Hull said. HERE WE GO! Charley Hull is closing the gap again! 💪 — Sky Sports Golf (@SkySportsGolf) August 3, 2025 Again with good reason. History was beckoning. Nobody in the female majors had come back and triumphed after being 11 shots behind at halfway. From there, Hull simply went for everything and so nearly pulled it off. Back-to-back bogeys on the 16th and 17th eventually did for her challenge, but how the locals took this gallant competitor to their hearts. She may have been caught by Yamashita's compatriot Minami Katsu, but there was only one gallant swashbuckler out there making a fight of it. 'I feel like I'm kind of insane sometimes,' Hull said. 'I can hit wayward shots, but I can get up-and-down and stuff, so it's cool. I didn't look at the leaderboards once today and didn't even know where I was walking down the last. I was chasing and wanted to stay in that mindset. It didn't come off but to shoot a low score in today's weather was great anyway, but to do it under that pressure, I think that was really good from both of us.' Hull moves up towards the world's top 10 and, for now, has consolidated her standing as British No 1. Lottie Woad was the pre-tournament favourite, despite this being her first major as a professional, and although the 21-year-old from Surrey did not quite live up to that ridiculous hype, she underlined her maturity and excellence with a tie for eighth on four-under after a 71.
BBC News
3 hours ago
- BBC News
Relive Yamashita's victory at Women's Open
Update: Date: 19:16 BST Title: Watch highlights later... Content: AIG Women's Open 2025 BBC Two That's just about your lot from today as Miyu Yamashita of Japan was crowned Women's Open champion. The wait for England's Charley Hull to win a major goes on. Scroll down to read reaction from both Yamashita and Hull. Be sure to read Phil Cartwright's report from the final round as well... If you missed any of the action today, you can watch highlights and all of the reaction from the final round on BBC Two from 23:40 BST. It will also be available to watch on the BBC iPlayer from 20:00 BST. Bye for now. Update: Date: 19:14 BST Title: Walk of a champion... Content: Update: Date: 19:12 BST Title: 'Proud of myself' Content: Hull -9 (69) More from Charley Hull after finishing joint-second at the Women's Open: "Coming into this week I didn't think I was going to make the cut. That's the truth of it. I wasn't hitting it very well. I couldn't prepare as well as I wanted to because I was poorly. I was obviously collapsed three times in the round in Evian and then still wasn't feeling well until Sunday last week. "So I think I've done pretty well and, considering my mindset coming into it, I'm pretty proud of myself." Update: Date: 19:09 BST Title: 'Don't feel I mucked up' Content: Hull -9 (69) It's a fourth second-placed finish at a major for Charley Hull, who has been speaking to the media: "Towards the end I didn't even hit a bad shot on 16. I hit a perfect tee shot and just the wind didn't even move it an inch, I hit it so pure. "It was a bit unfortunate on 17 missing that putt. I hit a good putt round the line. And then a shame about 18 because I had a pretty high chip over the bunker, and I'd done pretty well just to get it there. "It was a bit unfortunate but I felt like I was very much in control of my game today. I don't feel like I mishit any shots out there. I hit it pretty pure today." She added: "I really enjoyed it out there. I felt so in control of my game and I know in my head it's not like I whiffed a drive or whiffed a shot. I hit a good shot on 16. "I don't feel like I've actually mucked it up by mishitting any shots, which I think everybody can probably agree, you know what I mean? I played so solid." Update: Date: 19:04 BST Title: Yamashita celebrates 'special' victory Content: Yamashita -11 (70) Miyu Yamashita, speaking via a translator as she is presented the Women's Open trophy: "To win such a historic tournament in front of all these amazing fans is such an incredible feeling and to have my family around me and have so much support from everyone has just been amazing. To be part of such a moment in history is something special. "The course is set up to be very difficult but also in a brilliant condition and the amount of people supporting and the fans I had around me today really pushed me towards the victory and this is for them. "All the fans that came here today, all the fans that watched on TV around the world and my family, I would just like to thank everyone involved. Being my first win is something very special and to celebrate with everyone is an amazing feeling." Update: Date: 19:04 BST Title: Post Content: After the dousing in champagne, comes the trophy lift for Miyu Yamashita, who will also collect a record £1.1m winner's cheque after triumphing at Royal Porthcawl. The total purse in 2025 was also a record amount of £7.15m. Update: Date: 18:57 BST Title: Rhodes' 'unbelievable' hole in one Content: This video can not be played Rhodes hits miraculous hole-in-one on fifth hole England's Mimi Rhodes spoke to the media about the a hole in one she made today, as she finished one under for the tournament: "I hit a really good eight iron, right where I wanted it to. I wasn't expecting it to go in so I just picked up my tee and I heard everyone going crazy. "It was more loud than usual so I knew something had happened. Then we just walked up to the green and it was in the hole. "I had no idea it hit Steph's ball until I just saw the video, so that's unbelievable." Update: Date: 18:55 BST Title: That winning feeling Content: Almost time for Miyu Yamashita to get her hands on the trophy. What a belated birthday present. Update: Date: 18:54 BST Title: Woad 'handled' extra attention Content: England's Lottie Woad spoke to the media after she finished four under for the championship, tied for eighth: "I don't think it affected my golf, but it was definitely a lot more attention, a lot more eyes on me. "I feel like I handled it pretty well overall and was just sticking to my game, just trying to focus on the prep really and not let it distract me too much. "It was pretty good overall. Played solid. Probably hit it better over the weekend, just didn't really hole too many putts. But top 10, you can't complain too much. Overall a good week." Update: Date: 18:50 BST Title: Post Content: Miyu Yamashita is the fourth Japanese major champion in the past two years. Prior to 2024, Japan had just two major champions in the history of the LPGA Tour. Update: Date: 18:45 BST Title: Post Content: There's always next year, Charley... Update: Date: 18:40 BST Title: Post Content: Yamashita wins Women's Open A visibly emotional Miyu Yamashita is holding back tears of joy on the 18th green as she is congratulated by friends and fellow players. Update: Date: 18:40 BST Title: Post Content: Andrew RichardsBBC Sport Wales at Royal Porthcawl Miyu Yamashita punches the air and embraces her caddie! She's showered in champagne by her fellow Japanese players who rush the green to celebrate her champagne performance this week! Update: Date: 18:39 BST Title: Yamashita wins the Women's Open Content: Yamashita -11 (70) Miyu Yamashita becomes only the third Japanese player to win the Women's Open. Hinako Shibuno triumphed at Woburn in 2019, while Ayako Okamoto's victory came back in 1984, also at Woburn. Update: Date: 18:38 BST Title: Post Content: Kim -7, Yamashita -12 (17) A Lim Kim plays first and zips a glorious wedge into around a foot, which will surely be rewarded with a birdie. Miyu Yamashita now clips on and her ball topples down the green into around 10 feet. Those waiting behind the green with the champagne can probably take it off the ice. Her first putt rolls a foot past and she then tidies up to claim her first major title. Update: Date: 18:32 BST Title: Post Content: Andrew RichardsBBC Sport Wales at Royal Porthcawl The crowd welcome the surely soon-to-be champion Miyu Yamashita to the 18th green. She has work to do from the rough in front but shots in hand. Update: Date: 18:32 BST Title: Post Content: Kim -6, Yamashita -11 (17) Miyu Yamashita has her yardage book out. She needs to carry a greenside bunker some 180 yards away. If she can do that, she should be home and hosed. Crikey that's close. Her ball flirts with the first of two bunkers but stays left in the wispy stuff. A Lim Kim is itching to take her eight iron out to go for the green from the sand but sense prevails and she punts her ball out, forward and on to the fairway. Update: Date: 18:31 BST Title: Katsu finishes nine under Content: Katsu -9, A Lee -3 (F) Minami Katsu finishes with a birdie on the 18th - her fourth of the round - as she shoots 69. It's enough to tie for second with Charley Hull. But like Hull, all she can do is sit and wait for Miyu Yamashita to make her way to the finish. Update: Date: 18:27 BST Title: Post Content: Kim -6, Yamashita -11 (17) Miyu Yamashita has hit pretty much every fairway today but runs slightly left on the 18th. She should be fine from there although she has a couple of huge shots coming up. A Lim Kim, who also carded a bogey on the 17th, hits a decent tee shot but watches her ball roll on into the fairway bunker. Not what she wanted at all. Her challenge has faded with three dropped shots in the previous four holes. Update: Date: 18:24 BST Title: Post Content: Gareth VincentBBC Sport Wales at Royal Porthcawl Charley Hull said on Wednesday she thought 10 under par would be the winning score come Sunday night. She comes up one shot short of that mark after a round of 69 today. It has been a valiant effort from the Englishwoman.
