Move over, Tiger… you have some fresh company in the USGA record books. Kipp Popert won the U.S. Adaptive Open for a third straight year, becoming just the fourth male player in history to win the same USGA championship three times in a row.
The 27-year-old from England joins Woods, who remains the only person to accomplish the feat in two different championships – the 1991-93 U.S. Junior Amateur and 1994-96 U.S. Amateur. Carl Kauffmann (1927-29 U.S. Amateur Public Links) and Willie Anderson (1903-05 U.S. Open) are the others.
“It’s definitely been on my mind,” said Popert, who has cerebral palsy that affects his lower extremities, about the chance to make history with a three-peat. “When I had surgery this year and my foot wasn’t getting better, I wasn't looking forward to the thought of not being able to try. To come here and play the way I did, I’m really pleased.
“I also can’t thank my caddie Ben [Armstrong] enough. He’s been on the bag for all three, so he’s won three as well.”
Joining Popert in the winner’s circle is Kim Moore, another familiar face in the history of this championship. Moore, 44, of Battle Creek, Mich., started the day three strokes out of the lead but played a steady, solid round to overtake Cassie Sengul and become the first two-time female champion of the U.S. Adaptive Open. She won the inaugural title in 2022 at Pinehurst No. 6.
“It feels just as good as the first time,” said a beaming Moore, who was born without a right foot and a slight case of spina bifida. “This was definitely something I was looking forward to and hoping to accomplish, and it’s just nice to be able to be on top again.”
For Popert, Wednesday’s final round was a stress-free coronation. He began the day with a 10-stroke lead after setting the 36-hole championship scoring record (61-66—127) and kept his foot on the gas in shooting a 7-under 65, winning by 12 over Simon Lee (Intellectual Impairment) of the Republic of Korea and Lachlan Wood (Lower Limb Impairment) of Australia. While Lee, the 2022 men’s overall champion, recorded five birdies in the first nine holes to go out in 31, neither he – nor any of the other players in the last few groups – were able to apply any real pressure.
Popert also made five birdies on the front nine, offset by one bogey, and stuck to his game plan of hitting fairways and trying to hit his approach shots as close as possible when given opportunities. He ended the week with only four bogeys over 54 holes.
Moore faced an uphill battle en route to hoisting the trophy for the second time. She held the first-round lead but struggled to an 83 in Tuesday’s second round.
“Yesterday was definitely not the best,” said Moore. “Today I just really tried to stay positive. That was my mental mindset today. I felt like my mental game was a little weak yesterday and that really got to me. So that made a good difference for sure.”
Meanwhile, Sengul shot a second-round 75 to seize the overnight lead. However, it wasn’t meant to be for the 19-year-old from nearby Manassas, Va., who started her final round double bogey-bogey and wasn’t able to recapture the touch around the greens that helped her the first two days. Still, it was an uplifting week for the rising sophomore at Drew University in Madison, N.J., who has cerebral palsy.
“I’m so grateful for all the support this past week here,” said Sengul. “This facility is everything a golfer can dream of, so I’m really excited to be back here next year and hopefully bring it back home.”
The following players take home medals for being the winners of their respective categories: Bailey Bish, Tucson, Ariz. (Coordination Impairment, women); Kipp Popert, England (Coordination Impairment, men); Natasha Stasiuk, Canada (Intellectual Impairment, women); Simon Lee, Republic of Korea (Intellectual Impairment, men); Kim Moore, Battle Creek, Mich. (Lower Limb Impairment, women); Lachlan Wood, Australia (Lower Limb Impairment, men); Rose Veldman, Los Angeles, Calif. (Multiple Limb Amputee, women); Issa Nlareb, France (Multiple Limb Amputee, men); Max Togisala, South Ogden, Utah (Seated Players, men); Brendan Lawlor, Ireland (Short Stature, men); Abigal Davis, Houston, Texas (Upper Limb Impairment, women); Jesse Florkowski, Canada (Upper Limb Impairment, men); Amanda Cunha, Kaneohe, Hawaii (Vision Impairment, women); Kiefer Jones, Canada (Vision Impairment, men)
What the Champions Receive
Kipp Popert and Kim Moore were awarded gold medals and receive custody of their respective U.S. Adaptive Open trophies for one year. They also each earn five-year exemptions into the championship.
Each of the 15 category winners earn exemptions into next year’s 5th U.S. Adaptive Open, which returns to Woodmont Country Club from July 6-8, 2026.
Notable
While the week didn’t go quite as local product Ford Martin of Potomac, Md., had hoped, he showed resiliency in posting a lower score over his inward nine in each of the three rounds than on his outward nine. Martin, who was born with a club foot and competes in the Coordination Impairment category, finished in a tie for 10th place with rounds of 77-72-70.
Chad Pfeifer was the low American on the men’s side, finishing alone in 5th place. The 43-year-old from Caldwell, Idaho, competes in the Lower Limb Impairment category and improved his score by three strokes each day, with rounds of 74-71-68. Pfeifer lost his left leg in 2007 in an explosion while serving for the U.S. Army in Iraq.
The defending women’s champion, Bailey Bish, had the round of the day among female competitors. Bish, 25, of Tucson, Ariz., had two birdies on her outward nine and also birdied two of the last three holes to record a 1-over 73. She also won the female coordination impairment category.
Max Togisala, who was paralyzed in a skiing accident in 2022 and watched the first U.S. Adaptive Open from his hospital bed, also accomplished a three-peat, winning the male seated players category for the third time in a row. Togisala, 21, of Clearfield, Utah, set the record for lowest round by a seated player in championship history with a first-round 67, and finished in solo 6th place after subsequent rounds of 76 and 71.
Amanda Cunha does more than just win the women’s vision impairment category, which she has done each of the four years that this championship has been played. The 21-year-old from Kaneohe, Hawaii, is also an expert recruiter for the University of Arizona, where she is entering her senior year as a member of the adaptive golf team. Fellow competitors Russell Aide of Canada and Tyler Cashman of Oldwick, N.J., are joining Cunha on the Tucson campus this fall.
Quotable
“It’s a huge deal to get the adaptive world out there on Golf Channel so people understand how it works and what other disabilities can do. It’s just great for us to be out there so we can show the world we can play golf as well.” – Abigail Davis (Upper Limb Impairment), 23, Houston, Texas
“For me, I prepare since last month. Like today I finish and then I start to prepare myself for next year, because I know we inspire people. We inspire the young generation and we get to challenge them tomorrow.” – Issa Nlareb (Multiple Limb Amputee), 34, France
“The people are always what make this tournament great. The volunteers, they’re amazing. They’re always chatting with you and it’s always a good time to meet a ton of people. The USGA is always improving with the championship.” – Max Togisala(Seated Player), 21, Clearfield, Utah
“He [Kipp Popert] is a competitor at heart. Any event he goes into he is up there, raring to go. To shoot those scores on a course like this is silly. You just have to give credit to good golf.” – Brendan Lawlor (Short Stature), 28, Ireland
“There are so many people going through things, and to be able to see players like myself go out there and have fun and do their best and play some great golf I think is very inspiring, and hopefully people saw that today. – Kim Moore (Lower Limb Impairment), 44, Battle Creek, Mich.
“When the news came in that Deloitte would be contributing toward players’ expenses, I was really emotional because a lot of these guys are my friends. I’m extremely fortunate to have three amazing sponsors, but so many players don’t and they really deserve the opportunity to be able to play.” – Kipp Popert (Coordination Impairment), 27, England
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