{"id":7959,"date":"2025-05-30T06:31:21","date_gmt":"2025-05-30T06:31:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nationalgunowner.org\/index.php\/2025\/05\/30\/bear-on-golf-course-brings-early-end-to-womens-tournament-in-japan-surprised-teen-declared-winner\/"},"modified":"2025-05-30T06:31:22","modified_gmt":"2025-05-30T06:31:22","slug":"bear-on-golf-course-brings-early-end-to-womens-tournament-in-japan-surprised-teen-declared-winner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nationalgunowner.org\/index.php\/2025\/05\/30\/bear-on-golf-course-brings-early-end-to-womens-tournament-in-japan-surprised-teen-declared-winner\/","title":{"rendered":"Bear on golf course brings early end to women’s tournament in Japan; “surprised” teen declared winner"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Golfers in Japan had more than just bunkers and water hazards to deal with when a bear sighting brought an early end to a tournament because of safety concerns, marking the second time in less than two weeks that wild animals have invaded a pro golf tournament.<\/p>\n

The final round of the Twinfields Ladies on the women’s second-tier Step Up tour in central Japan was canceled after a bear was spotted on the course on Saturday.<\/p>\n

The decision was taken to protect players and spectators, said organizers.<\/p>\n

Reina Maeda, who was leading on six-under par after Friday’s second round, was declared the winner, earning 2.7 million yen<\/a> (about $19,000) for the victory.<\/p>\n

“I was very surprised, but I’m very happy,” said the 19-year-old.<\/p>\n

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Empty 18th green is seen as the play of the final day has been cancelled after a bear is witnessed during the final round of the Twinfields Ladies Tournament at Golf Club Twin Fields on May 24, 2025 in Komatsu, Ishikawa, Japan.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Yoshimasa Nakano\/JLPGA via Getty Images<\/p>\n

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Earlier this month, a snake slithered onto the golf course at the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina, the BBC reported.<\/a> That came just a day after a turtle interrupted play<\/a> on the same course.<\/p>\n

Human encounters with bears have reached record levels in Japan, with 219 people attacked, resulting in six deaths in the 12 months leading up to April 2024.<\/p>\n

Climate change affecting food sources and hibernation times, along with depopulation caused by an aging society, are causing bears to venture into towns more frequently.<\/p>\n

Experts previously told CBS News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0that as Japan’s population shrinks, humans are leaving rural areas, and bears are moving in.<\/p>\n

“Then that area recovered to the forest, so bears have a chance to expand their range,” biologist Koji Yamazaki, from Tokyo University of Agriculture, told CBS News.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Japan’s government in February approved a bill allowing hunters to shoot bears in populated areas.<\/p>\n

In December, a bear that rampaged<\/a><\/span> through a Japanese supermarket for two days was lured out with food coated in honey. Police said the animal was trapped and later killed.<\/p>\n

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