Tag: Kipp Popert

Kipp Popert, Bailey Bish claim 2024 U.S. Adaptive Open titles at Sand Creek Station in Kansas

What a pair of performances in Kansas.

NEWTON, Kan. — Kipp Popert and Brendan Lawlor embraced each other walking up the 18th fairway, then they marched toward the green.

Sitting in a bowl, the two were the main actors in an amphitheater of patrons surrounding the putting surface, the stage where Popert was closing on on etching his name even deeper into USGA lore.

Popert, 25, won the 2024 U.S. Adaptive Open on Wednesday at Sand Creek Station, going back-to-back at the event. The Englishman shot 14 under for the week, a scoring record that included a birdie on the final hole. Playing in the neurological impairment category, Popert is the first player to win the overall competition back-to-back, and he did it in style.

U.S. Adaptive Open: Videos | Photos | Men’s scoring | Women’s scoring

“I was looking at the medal on my neck, and I can’t wait to get it back home with the other one,” Popert said.

Popert shot under par every day at the Adaptive Open, including a 7-under 65 in the opening round to take command and go wire-to-wire. He won by four shots over 2022 and inaugural Adaptive Open champion Simon Lee from Korea.

He had a slight hiccup on the par-5 10th hole, the toughest of the week for everyone in the field, making double bogey. But that miscue helped him refocus heading down the stretch.

“I enjoy all of the pressure,” Popert said. “I was like, ‘All right, let’s go show them that we’re still winning this thing despite a little trip up.'”

Kipp Popert raises his hat after finishing his round on the 18th hole during the final round of the 2024 U.S. Adaptive Open at Sand Creek Station in Newton, Kansas, on Wednesday, July 10, 2024. (Jeff Haynes/USGA)

Bish wins women’s title

On the women’s side, Bailey Bish scripted an amazing story of her own along the Sand Creek.

Two years ago, she watched the Adaptive Open on TV unable to compete because her body couldn’t handle playing more than nine holes at a time.

On Wednesday, as Bish rode her cart up to the 18th green, she did shot with a four-shot lead en route to securing the biggest victory of her life.

“If you told me three years ago that I would be the U.S. Adaptive Open champion I would never have believed it,” Bish said. “I don’t have words to describe how amazing it is that adaptive golfers are now being recognized in the same way Annika Sorenstam and other very accomplished golfers are.”

Also competing in the neurological category, Bish, from Tucson, Arizona, got off to a rough start Wednesday, and she headed to the fourth tee box 4 over and her lead much smaller than when she teed off roughly 40 minutes before.

She never got flustered. She and her caddie, coach Susie Meyers, had a plan and never wavered. She bounced back on the par-5 fourth, making the first eagle of her life.

Bailey Bish plays a shot on the 10th hole with train in the background during the final round of the 2024 U.S. Adaptive Open at Sand Creek Station in Newton, Kansas, on Wednesday, July 10, 2024. (Kathryn Riley/USGA)

“I learned that it’s hard to play golf, and even if there is challenges, you can push back and keep going,” Bish said on what she learned about herself this week. “The mistakes will get overwritten by other accomplishments.”

Bish, 24, finished the round with eight straight pars, including nearly driving the 18th green. When she tapped in to clinch her victory, the audience rained down celebration as Bish and Meyers embraced.

“We have an amazing camaraderie in the adaptive golf community,” Bish said. “Having their support with the win like this is absolutely incredible. They saw me when I wasn’t able to play nine holes back to back.

“I think showing my growth is really inspiring to many people in the community.”

2024 U.S. Adaptive Open results by category

Intellectual impairment

Men: Simon Lee (10 under)

Women: Natasha Stasiuk (32 over)

Lower limb impairment

Men: Mike Browne (5 under)

Women: Kim Moore (12 over)

Multiple limb amputee

Men: Issa Nlareb (6 under)

Women: Rose Veldman (35 over)

Neurological impairment

Men: Kipp Popert (14 under)

Women: Bailey Bish (8 over)

Seated players

Men: Max Togisala (7 over)

Women: Annie Hayes (53 over)

Short stature

Men: Brendan Lawlor (9 under)

Upper limb impairment

Men: Chris Willis (2 under)

Women: Cathy Walch (46 over)

Vision impairment

Men: Kiefer Jones (13 over)

Women: Amanda Cunha (21 over)

The U.S. Adaptive Open is one of 15 championships conducted by the U.S. Golf Association. The third version of this event started with 96 golfers across eight impairment categories, each one awarding prizes with an overall men’s and women’s winner also crowned after 54 holes.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 tag=451204072]

Ryanne Jackson, Kipp Popert win titles at 2023 U.S. Adaptive Open at Pinehurst

The USGA’s newest championship will head to Sand Creek Station in Kansas next year.

[anyclip pubname=”2122″ widgetname=”0016M00002U0B1kQAF_M8171″]

VILLAGE OF PINEHURST, N.C. — The defending champions put up a good fight but it wasn’t enough as the United States Golf Association has crowned two new winners.

Ryanne Jackson and Kipp Popert claimed the women’s and men’s overall titles at the 2023 U.S. Adaptive Open, the USGA’s newest championship that puts the world’s best disabled golfers – 96 this year – in the spotlight.

The field is spread across eight categories: Arm Impairment, Intellectual Impairment, Leg Impairment, Multiple Limb Amputee, Neurological Impairment, Seated Players, Short Stature and Vision Impairment. Players must have a WR4GD Pass and a handicap index of 36.4 or less, Players with an Intellectual Impairment must also have Virtus II1 International Eligibility.

Jackson, 25, won the neurological impairment category in 2022 but finished runner-up in the overall to Kim Moore last year in the North Carolina Sandhills but got her revenge Wednesday at Pinehurst No. 6. The St. Petersburg, Florida, native shot a 4-over 76 to finish at 9 over for the championship, five shots clear of Moore (76). Jackson, who was diagnosed with scapuloperoneal muscular dystrophy as a college freshman after a decorated high school athletics career in both basketball and golf, also claimed the neurological category for the second consecutive year.

“I knew coming in that there were some new people entering the tournament that I hadn’t heard of,” said Jackson. “I didn’t know what to expect with their games, but I knew Kim Moore was going to be my biggest returning competitor since she was the reigning champ. So being here at the end is a very nice feeling.”

Currently an EMT, Jackson is starting paramedic school in August.

Playing in the final foursome of the day, Popert was in a tightly contested battle the entire round with defending men’s champion Simon Lee, 18-hole leader Conor Stone and Mike Browne. Just when it seemed like the Englishman was going to cruise to the victory, Popert made bogey on No. 17 and double bogey on the par-4 18th to open the door for Simon, whose putt to force a playoff on the last just slid past the cup.

“I worked really hard for many years,” said Popert. “I didn’t envision winning it with a double, but sometimes you’ve got to win ugly. It was good out there. I played well today. I’m extremely chuffed to win.”

Popert started playing golf when he was 3 years old. The 25-year-old was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at birth and has undergone several surgeries, but that hasn’t stopped him from becoming one of the world’s best disabled golfers. Last May he won Golf for the Disabled (G4D) Tour Betfred British Masters and finished fourth here at the Adaptive last July.

All four players in the final men’s grouping finished even or under par, and each won their respective impairment categories with ease by four shots or more.

2023 U.S. Adaptive Open
The champions of the 2023 U.S. Adaptive Open at Pinehurst Resort No. 6 in Village of Pinehurst, North Carolina. (Photo: Jeff Haynes/USGA)

2023 U.S. Adaptive Open results

Arm Impairment

  • Men: Conor Stone, 1 under
  • Women: Abigail Davis, 42 over

Leg Impairment

  • Men: Mike Browne, Even
  • Women: Kim Moore, 14 over

Multiple Limb Amputee

  • Men: Evan Mathias, 23 over
  • Women: Cindy Lawrence, 114 over

Intellectual Impairment

  • Men: Simon Lee, 1 under
  • Women: Natasha Stasiuk, 33 over

Neurological

  • Women: Ryanne Jackson, 9 over
  • Men: Kipp Popert, 2 under

Seated Players

  • Men: Max Togisala, 16 over
  • Women: Ann Hayes, 81 over

Vision Impairment

  • Men: Kiefer Jones, 24 over
  • Women: Amanda Cunha, 33 over

Short stature

  • Men: Kurtis Barkley, 5 over
  • Women: None entered the category

[lawrence-auto-related count=4 category=451191723]

Aussies fall short Sunday of men’s, women’s titles at home ISPS Handa Australian Open

The final round wasn’t kind to the Aussies playing in their national open.

The unique ISPS Handa Australian Open – held over two courses with men’s, women’s and all-abilities divisions playing concurrently – featured a trio of great finishes on Sunday, but the final round wasn’t kind to the natives in their national open.

On the men’s side, 54-hole leader Adam Scott struggled to a 2-over 72 thanks to a crucial double-bogey on the par-4 17th. After making eagle at the par-5 18th the previous two rounds at Victoria Golf Club, the 2013 Masters champion instead signed for a par on Sunday to seal his runner-up fate at 9 under. Adrian Meronk, on the other hand, eagled the final hole to sign for a 4-under 66 to extend his winning margin to five shots at 14 under.

Two more Aussies finished in the top five as Aussie Min Woo Lee placed third at 8 under, with Haydn Barron T-4 at 7 under alongside Alejandro Canizares.

“I’m super excited and to finish like that on the 18th hole is just unreal,” said Meronk.

On the women’s side, three Aussies finished Nos. 3-5 while Ashleigh Buhai claimed a one-shot win over Jiyai Shin at 12 under after Shin missed a putt to force a playoff on the final hole. Hannah Green led after 54 holes, but similar to Scott, a 2-over 72 on Sunday saw her fall off the pace to finish two shots back in third at 10 over. Grace Kim was 2 under through 15 holes in the final round but a costly double-bogey on the par-5 18th brought her back to even on the day and fourth at 9 under for the tournament. Minjee Lee shot a 1-under 71 to finish fifth at 8 under.

Kipp Popert won the all-abilities division with ease thanks to the lone round under par on Sunday, a 3-under 69. Currently No. 1 on the World Ranking for Golfers with Disability, Popert finished the three-round event at 2 under, seven shots clear of runner-up Kurtis Barkley.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01es6rjnsp3c84zkm6 player_id=01evcfxp4q8949fs1e image=https://golfweek.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]