Wizards of Woodmont: Popert, Moore are Victorious Again

For the second consecutive year, the U.S. Adaptive Open Championship at Woodmont Country Club belonged to Kipp and Kim, as both champions cruised to victory by sizeable margins. If that sounds familiar, it should, as these two remarkable players have become the faces of this championship over its first five years of existence.

Three-time defending champion Kipp Popert of England fired a final-round 63 for a 54-hole total of 18-under-par 198, six strokes ahead of 2022 champion Simon Lee and nine strokes clear of seated player Max Togisala of Ogden, Utah and Justin Carlock of Eaton, Colo. The victory etches Popert’s name even further into the USGA history books, as he becomes the first male player to win the same USGA championship four years in a row. 

“I’m extremely pleased and extremely proud of all the hard work I put in,” said Popert, who turned 28 years old on the first day of the championship. “I really want disabled golf and adaptive golf to keep moving forward, and I hope I'm helping do that. I just want more opportunities for kids growing up that we didn't have. 

“I’m extremely grateful to the USGA for putting on this championship. If you didn't, I wouldn't have the chance to pursue my dreams, really. To play the way I did today is what dreams are made of.” 

Two-time and defending champion Kim Moore of Fort Wayne, Ind., also made history and displayed her trademark consistency – fairways, greens, avoid the big numbers. Moore polished off a third straight round of 76 for a six-stroke victory, her third U.S. Adaptive Open title after winning the inaugural event in 2022 and last year’s contest at Woodmont.

“It feels awesome,” said Moore, 45. “That's my goal coming in here, and being able to achieve my goal was definitely challenging. There were a few holes, a few shots out there that I wish I could have back, but in the end doesn't matter. It’s all about how you finish. I’m just glad to be hoisting the trophy again and have another USGA championship.”

Popert, who was born with cerebral palsy and has undergone multiple surgeries on his lower body, said during the trophy presentation on Golf Channel that he was thinking about the magnitude of his four-peat last night and decided that he “really wanted it.” That focus was clear from the early going of the final round. 

Popert was paired with his closest pursuer, 31-year-old Carlock, who made an early statement with an eagle on the par-5 3rd hole. 

“Yeah, it started off with a couple fireworks,” said Carlock, a PGA assistant professional who was born with a condition that caused his fingers and hands to fuse differently. “I was almost pin high right and pitched it in from about 35 yards. So that kind of got us jump-started.”

Popert, however, wasn’t going to fall back to the pack. After Carlock’s early eagle, Popert said to himself “Okay, here we go,” and used it as fuel. He answered his opponent’s birdie with the first of three straight birdies, and made the turn in 6-under 30.   

While Carlock, a first-time competitor, added another front-nine birdie, he was unable to mount a substantial charge after that and went on to shoot 3-under 69, good for a tie for third at 9-under 207.

“I’m really greedy, I want to win so badly,” said Carlock. “But overall, this is my first time in the adaptive tournament space, so I’m very happy. It's definitely a win for me and the family coming out here this week.” 

Lee, who won the inaugural U.S. Adaptive Open in Pinehurst, said after his second round that he was going to “attack all 18 holes” in the final round in an effort to add a second title to his collection. He certainly put on a show, shooting a bogey-free, 7-under 65 that included five birdies and an eagle on the par-5 16th hole. 

“It feels good but it's a shame that I ended up second place again,” said Lee, who did win the Intellectual Impairment category. “Next year, my goal is to take the trophy back.”

One player who has also become accustomed to U.S. Adaptive Open trophies is the 22-year-old Togisala, as he won the male Seated Player category for the fourth consecutive year. He recorded a second consecutive 5-under 67, including seven birdies, in the final round. 

“I felt really happy this week with how I played and who I played with, too,” said Togisala, who was paralyzed in a skiing accident in 2022. “The vibes were high. I wasn't really expecting to shoot 9 under after three days, but super happy with how I was able to finish.” 

Moore, who was born without a right foot and wears a prosthetic, began the day with a slim one-stroke lead over Sunyoung Kim of the Republic of Korea. The 45-year-old PGA teaching professional put on a clinic of how to play steady and smart. She offset one bogey with a birdie on the front nine to turn in even-par 36, extending her lead to five strokes. 

The 26-year-old Kim, who went on to win the women’s Intellectual Impairment category, was unable to keep up with Moore and ended with an 81, settling for a tie for second place with Bailey Bish of Tucson, Ariz.

Bish, the 2024 overall women’s champion who has a disorder of the autonomic nervous system that causes involuntary muscle contractions, rides in a solo cart and then uses crutches to walk to her ball to play her shots. She was again the winner of the women’s Coordination Impairment category.  

“I had a rough start but then from there I just kind of got in my groove and kept playing my game,” said Bish. “I didn't think about the past anymore, and worked my way in one shot at a time worked my way in. I just think about hitting my next shot and whatever the score is at the end of the round, that’s what it is.”

The following players take home medals for being the winners of their respective categories: 

• Coordination Impairment: Bailey Bish, Tucson, Ariz. (women); Kipp Popert, England (men)
• Intellectual Impairment: Sunyoung Kim, Republic of Korea (women); Simon Lee, Republic of Korea (men)
• Lower Limb Impairment: Kim Moore, Fort Wayne, Ind. (women); Lachlan Wood, Australia (men)
• Multiple Limb Amputee: Rose Veldman, Los Angeles, Calif. (women); Jordan Thomas, Nashville, Tenn. (men)
• Seated Players: Annie Hayes, Lee, Mass. (women); Max Togisala, Ogden, Utah (men)
• Short Stature: Brendan Lawlor, Ireland (men)
• Upper Limb Impairment: Sophia Howard, Hudsonville, Mich. (women); Justin Carlock, Eaton, Colo. (men)
• Vision Impairment: Amanda Cunha, Kaneohe, Hawaii (women); Kiefer Jones, Canada (men)

What the Champions Receive

• Both Kim Moore and Kipp Popert 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 6th U.S. Adaptive Open, to be held July 5-7, 2027, at Sunriver Resort (Meadows Course) in Bend, Ore.

Notable

Following two successful years at Woodmont Country Club, the U.S. Adaptive Open is heading west. Sunriver Resort (Meadows Course) in Bend, Ore., will host the next two editions of the championship, starting with July 5-7, 2027.

Max Togisala’s T-3 finish and 9-under-par 209 total score were the best-ever showings by a seated player in this championship. Togisala broke his own 54-hole scoring record of 2-under 214, set last year.  

While he didn’t make the cut to play in today’s final round, Tommy Morrissey set a U.S. Adaptive Open record as the youngest-ever competitor, at 15 years/6 months/15 days. 

Quotable

“Gratitude. Resilience. Perspective. Community. Love. Encouragement. It is the most gratifying week I have pretty much all year. To see these people that I care about and love, to compete against them but to support them, it's a family and it's a privilege to be a part of it.” – Jordan Thomas (Multiple Limb Amputee category champion), 37, Nashville, Tenn.

“Now that I'm not in school anymore I'm going to start working a lot more on course play and trying to get my course management down and also my confidence up when I'm playing on the course. I will be able to be home, and with the familiarity that I have with my dad and being able to play each weekend with him is going to be good for us.” – Amanda Cunha (Vision Impairment category winner), 22, Kaneohe, Hawaii

“My goal was to win my category again. My goal is to be back here next year, and that's a golden ticket back if you win your category. I'm proud of that. To be the best short-stature playing in the world, it's definitely the best players in the world here, so it's a nice honor.” – Brendan Lawlor (Short Stature category winner), 29, Ireland 

“Just got job done, so overall really happy. The first year I played I really didn't know what to expect. Like I knew a couple people in the field, but really didn't know what to expect starting out. Just wanted to play good golf and keep within myself. Obviously as the tournament has grown and the same people come back, I think you can kind of put expectations on yourself and set up goals. I think the goal will always be to defend the title next year.” – Sophia Howard (Upper Limb Impairment Category winner), 19, Hudsonville, Mich.