U.S. ALL CHAMPIONSHIPS
By Jonathan Coe, USGA
Amy Bockerstette, shown here with her caddie and father, competed in the inaugural U.S. Adaptive Open in 2022 at Pinehurst No. 6 and will be in the field again this year. (Robert Beck/USGA)
The field for the 2nd U.S. Adaptive Open – a national championship that showcases the world’s best golfers with disabilities on Pinehurst Resort & Country Club’s Course No. 6 from July 10-12 – is now set.
The USGA received 285 entries for the 2023 U.S. Adaptive Open, and the 96-player final field includes competitors from 28 states and 11 countries. The championship’s youngest competitor is 15-year-old Russell Aide from Canada, and Bruce Hooper, of San Antonio, Texas, is the championship's oldest player at 77 years old. Of the 96 players in the field, 66 played last year, and 30 will be making their championship debut.
“We were inspired by the level of interest and support that we received from the golf community for last year’s Inaugural U.S. Adaptive Open,” said John Bodenhamer, chief championships officer for the USGA. “We are thrilled to return to Pinehurst to celebrate and witness the passion of these athletes who are seeking the opportunity to compete for a national championship.”
A player’s Handicap Index® was the primary factor in determining the field, with the USGA reserving at least five male player spots and two female player spots per impairment category.
Kim Moore, 42, of Battle Creek, Mich., and Simon Lee, 25, of the Republic of Korea, both return to this year's U.S. Adaptive Open to defend their titles. Moore, who was born without a right foot and a slight case of spina bifida, went wire-to-wire last July to win the overall women's division. She has served as the head golf coach for the Western Michigan University women's golf team since 2020. Lee was diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum at a young age and, last year, earned the overall men's division victory after defeating Felix Norrman of Sweden in a playoff. He will compete in the intellectual impairment category.
Kipp Popert, 24, of England, who was diagnosed with a form of cerebral palsy called Spastic diplegia, is currently the No.1 golfer in the World Ranking for Golfers with Disability (WR4GD) and will be competing in his second U.S. Adaptive Open in the neurological impairment category. Last year he finished fourth overall in the men's division and won the neurological impairment category to earn his spot in this year's U.S. Adaptive Open.
“Competing in the inaugural U.S. Adaptive Open was an absolute thrill and I’m honored to be in this year’s field,” said Popert. “I’ve been lucky enough to play in several top-tier championships and the USGA hosts this event with the same attention to detail as they do the U.S. Amateur. I’m excited for everyone to experience that. This event is only going to grow and we’re going to have kids looking up to us one day.”
The championship is open to both male and female professional and amateur golfers with a World Handicap System™ Handicap Index of 36.4 or less and an eligible impairment confirmed by a WR4GD Pass. The impairment categories are as follows:
The championship will be contested over 54 holes of stroke play. Multiple sets of tees will be utilized. Carts will be permitted for all players and caddies. Click here to view the current 96-player field.
More from the 2nd U.S. Adaptive Open Championship
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