Most of the world’s most gifted golfers with disabilities are returning to compete within the third staging of The G4D Open this week at Woburn (15-17 Might).
Established in 2023, the championship – staged in partnership by The R&A and the DP World Tour and supported by EDGA (formally the European Disabled Golf Affiliation) – is likely one of the most inclusive ever held.
The G4D Open options 9 sport lessons throughout a number of impairment teams, with 80 women and men gamers of each novice {and professional} standing competing over Woburn’s famend Duchess Course. With an age vary from 18 to 79, gamers from 20 nations throughout the globe are represented, together with from Australia, Canada, Japan, South Africa and the USA.
Contested over three days from Thursday to Saturday and throughout 54 holes of gross stroke play, there will probably be general males’s and ladies’s winners and a gross prize in every of the game lessons which cowl numerous classes in Standing, Mental, Visible and Sitting.
A 12 months on from his win 12 months in the past, England’s Kipp Popert returns to defend the boys’s title. The main participant on the World Rating for Golfers with Incapacity (WR4GD), who was born with a type of cerebral palsy referred to as spastic diplegia, is match once more after foot surgical procedure earlier this 12 months.
Irishman Brendan Lawlor, the inaugural winner in 2023 and runner-up to Popert final 12 months, additionally takes his place in a world-class area. Lawlor, who has a uncommon situation referred to as Ellis–van Creveld syndrome, characterised by a shorter stature and shorter limbs, and Popert are amongst 12 of the world’s high 20 gamers competing at Woburn. Canadian Chris Willis, born with bone points within the leg, vertebrae and hand, can also be collaborating once more after ending third final 12 months.
The Netherlands’ Daphne van Houten will goal to defend the ladies’s crown, with van Houten amongst 18 girls competing – a rise of seven on final 12 months.
Seven Australian gamers have made the lengthy journey over to Woburn, together with the world-ranked quantity 4 Lachlan Wooden, and 4 gamers from Japan. The English pair of Martine and Heather Gilks, who made historical past final 12 months as the primary mom and daughter duo to play in The G4D Open, once more tee up.
Zane Scotland, the previous Tour skilled, is attending the Championship in his function as a range ambassador with The R&A and can assist a lot of off-course actions going down through the week at Woburn to advertise inclusivity within the sport. Spectators are inspired to attend at Woburn for The G4D Open, with attendance and automobile parking freed from cost.
The G4D Open can also be an occasion on the G4D Tour, which is operated by the DP World Tour.
Launched in 2022, the G4D Tour contains the very best ranked Gross and Internet gamers from the WR4GD and its tournaments are performed on the identical course, the identical week, as flagship DP World Tour occasions.
Media can register and entry The R&A Digital Media Centre, which will probably be populated all through this week with pictures, video content material, profiles and transcripts right here.
View extra info on The G4D Open right here.
