Rabbit Rabbit
The Open 2021: Proud Open tradition of streaking kept alive by third-round rabbit interruption
The claret jug. The fescue. The pot bunkers. The wind. The rain. The accents. Burnt greens, winding burns, and warm beer. The Open Championship is not a short on trademarks or traditions, but the one they won’t show you on TV is streaking. From Tiger Woods’ striped suitors to John Daly’s infamous "19th-hole" invader, the Open has seen more unsolicited nudity over the years than any other golf tournament on earth (Waste Management Phoenix Open included). With COVID-19 here to stay, however, the days of the streaker seem numbered. Limited fan attendance and hygiene concerns continue to encumber the unencumbered, but on Saturday, there was one fan at Royal St. George’s keeping the tradition alive.
That fan was a rabbit.
You gotta feel for the little fella, who unknowingly wandered into the throes of another Jordan Spieth Open run. That can be a lot for anyone to handle, even us and we do this for a living (and, you know, aren’t rodents). The speed and stamina are impressive all the same, though. Not quite as impressive as the Peter Jacobsen tackling a streaker at Royal St. George’s back in 1985, but hey, beggars can’t be choosers.
We would also be remiss if we didn't mention the airborne camerawork, which captured every hare-owing (sorry, sorry) moment of the interruption. With NBC drawing ire from golf fans for its commercial-heavy, shot-light broadcast, this was a much-needed win for the Peacock. Speaking of which, if you see one of those, make sure to keep the cameras rolling. That would really be something.