If anyone thought that being the two-time defending men’s champion would somehow reduce Kipp Popert’s motivation at the U.S. Adaptive Open, the 27-year-old from England quickly put those notions to rest.
Popert recorded two eagles and three birdies en route to an outward 29 on Woodmont Country Club’s South Course, then added five more birdies to offset one bogey on the inward nine to card an 11-under 61.
The round shattered the previous record of 65 for the lowest score in championship history, set by Popert last year at Sand Creek Station.
“I love the pressure,” said Popert after his round. “It means you’re doing something good if you’ve got pressure. I’ve had a lot of months of boredom this year, so give me all of it.”
Popert, who competes in the Coordination Impairment category, was referring to his long layoff from golf following toe fusion surgery in January. While he has undergone multiple surgeries in his life to relieve pain in his legs and feet, the most recent procedure sidelined him for longer than expected and even put his status for this championship in doubt.
“Today was actually the first time I saw the full course because I had to quit after four holes in my practice round,” he said, referring to the pain that flared up again over the last two days. “Yesterday I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to give it a go. But I managed it well during the round.”
Popert leads by six strokes over fellow Englishman Mike Browne (Lower Limb Impairment) and Max Togisala (Seated Player) of Clearfield, Utah. While it’s a wide margin, Browne and Togisala both took positives out of the 67s they recorded today. Togisala set a new championship record for the lowest round by a seated player.
“I wasn’t expecting anything crazy,” said Togisala. “I was just trying to have fun out there. As a seated golfer, this course is really accessible. It’s flat, easy to get around, and yet it’s still challenging.”
“I’m a feel player, and this course requires a lot of feel,” added Browne. “It’s going to take two more really good rounds to have a shot. I’m going to stick to my strategy and do my best.”
There is also a familiar face at the top of the leaderboard on the women’s side – Kim Moore, who won the inaugural U.S. Adaptive Open title in 2022 at Pinehurst No. 6. Moore, of Battle Creek, Mich., shot a 2-over-par 74 to hold a three-stroke lead over Amanda Cunha, a visually impaired player from Kaneohe, Hawaii, who shot a 5-over 77.
“I definitely left some shots out there, but I gave myself chances and that’s what it’s all about,” said Moore, who plays with a lower limb impairment. “My caddie and I put together a game plan to keep the ball in the fairway and hit greens. If I can continue making pars and maybe throw a few birdies in there, that’s a good strategy.”
Natasha Stasiuk (Lower Limb Impairment) of Canada sits in third place with a 6-over 78, while Cassie Sengul of Manassas, Va., is in 4th place at7-over 79. The defending women’s champion Bailey Bish of Tuscon, Ariz., struggled a bit today and sits in a tie for 5th at 8-over 80.
The second round of the U.S. Adaptive Open will begin at 7:30 a.m. on Tuesday, July 8.
Following completion of play, a cut will be made to include the following players for the final round on Wednesday, July 9:
•Top 20 overall men and ties
•Top 10 overall women and ties
•Top 3 men and ties from each impairment category
•Two 2 women and ties from each impairment category
•Any player within 5 strokes of the lead in their impairment category
Notable
Local players Ford Martin of Potomac, Md., and Cassie Sengulof Manassas, Va., had the honor of playing the first shots of the championship from the first and 10th holes, respectively. Martin, 32, who was born with a club foot, tied for 5th in the men’s overall competition in 2024. Sengul, 19, who has cerebral palsy, plays on the golf team at Drew University in Madison, N.J.
The vast majority of the bunkers on Woodmont’s South Course are flat enough to be accessible for seated players, who can ride their cart directly into the bunker. The handful of bunkers that are not deemed accessible to carts are marked as areas of free relief for seated players.
Among male players, six of the eight impairment category leaders shot under par in the first round. The exceptions are the Multiple Limb Amputee category, where Brandon Canesi of Northfield, N.J., and Issa Nlareb of France lead at 1-over 73; and the Vision Impairment category, which is led by Kiefer Jones of Canada.
The 2022 men’s overall champion Simon Lee of the Republic of Korea stands in 6th place after a 3-under 69 in the first round. The 2023 women’s overall champion, Ryanne Jackson of St. Petersburg, Fla., is tied for 5th overall after an 8-over 80.
There were four sets of tees in use for the first round of the U.S. Adaptive Open, ranging from the Blue tees at 6,429 yards to the Purple tees at 4,402 yards. Players are assigned to a specific set of tees based on their impairment category.
Quotable
“It was really special. Just being from this area and getting to go kick this championship off was really special for me. I have been at Woodmont a few times so I’ve gotten to know a lot of the staff and some of the members, so having them cheer me on today was just amazing.” – Cassie Sengul (Coordination Impairment), 19, Manassas, Va.
“I’ve got a leg missing, but I’m inspired by so many different players with disabilities and the way they just carry on with life and are so happy. It just inspires me to want to play better and try and emulate some of the greats.” – Mike Browne (Lower Limb Impairment), 47, England
“Growing up, I never saw anyone with a disability playing golf. Now there are 96 of us here, and hopefully more in the future.” – Kipp Popert (Coordination Impairment), 27, England
“This is my fourth year playing in it. It was pretty honorable to come back again and not have to qualify. I’m trying to shoot low and just trying to represent the Canada flag.” – Natasha Stasiuk (Intellectual Impairment), 27, Canada
“It’s a blast to rewrite the record books. I was definitely thinking about that record coming down 18. I was like, I think I got it. With this round I’ve tied my record for lowest career score, but that was at a much easier golf course than this one.” – Max Togisala(Seated Player), 21, Clearview, Utah
“It’s like a family reunion every time, especially on the women’s side. We’ve grown in four years, but you still see a lot of the same players each time. Everybody is rooting each other on. The adaptive golf community is so inclusive and welcoming, so the whole thing is super special.” – Kim Moore (Lower Limb Impairment), 44, Battle Creek, Mich.
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