Field Set for 3rd U.S. Adaptive Open at Sand Creek Station

The field for the 3rd U.S. Adaptive Open – a national championship that showcases the world’s best golfers with disabilities at Sand Creek Station in Newton, Kan., from July 8-10 – has been set, the USGA announced today.


The USGA received 278 entries for the 2024 U.S. Adaptive Open, and for the first time, 18-hole qualifiers were conducted by Allied Golf Associations (AGAs) at six sites across the country. The 96-player field includes competitors from 32 states and 11 countries. The championship’s youngest competitor is 15-year-old Ryder Barr of Celina, Texas, and Bruce Hooper, of San Antonio, Texas, is the championship's oldest player at 78 years old. Of the 96 players in the field, 66 previously played in one or both of the past two iterations of the USGA’s newest championship. Thirty will be making their championship debut.


“We were inspired by the level of interest and support that we received from the golf community during the past two U.S. Adaptive Opens,” said John Bodenhamer, chief championships officer for the USGA. “We are thrilled to go to Sand Creek Station to celebrate and witness the passion of these athletes who have earned their opportunity to compete for a national championship.” 


The low overall female scorer and low overall male scorer from each qualifying site earned a spot in the championship. The remaining qualifying spots were determined by Impairment Category and gender across all six qualifying sites using an adjusted Score Differential. In total, 64 players earned their place in the field through qualifying. Another 24 were fully exempt, and eight were added to the field as committee selections. 

 
Ryanne Jackson, 26, of St. Petersburg, Fla., and Kipp Popert, 25, of England, both return to this year’s championship to defend their titles. Jackson, who was diagnosed with scapuloperoneal muscular dystrophy as a college freshman, held off defending champion Kim Moore to win the overall women’s division in 2023 at Pinehurst Resort & Country Club’s Course No. 6. Popert, who was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at birth, posted a 54-hole total of 214 to win the overall men’s division by a stroke. 

 
Max Togisala, 20, of South Odgen, Utah, was paralyzed in a ski accident in February 2022. While he was a golfer prior to his accident, he had to relearn the game from a seated position. Togisala shot a 2-under-par 70 in the second round of last year’s championship, which bettered by nine strokes the lowest round by a seated player in championship history. He won the seated player impairment category to earn his spot in this year’s U.S. Adaptive Open. 14 players earned their place in the field through winning their Impairment Category last year.


“Playing in last year’s U.S. Adaptive Open was an absolute thrill and I’m excited to be in this year’s field,” said Togisala. “I'm looking forward to making more memories with the most inspiring people in the world. My game is feeling sharp and I’m looking forward to competing again.”


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:  
 

• Upper Limb Impairment 
• Intellectual Impairment 
• Lower Limb Impairment 
• Multiple Limb Amputee 
• Neurological Impairment 
• Seated Players 
• Short Stature 
• Vision Impairment 

The championship will be contested over 54 holes of stroke play. Multiple sets of tees will be utilized. Carts are permitted for all players and caddies. The 96-player field is as follows: 
 

• Russell Aide, of Canada, 17, Upper Limb Impairment, Qualifier 
• Garth Allen, of Australia, 48, Lower Limb Impairment, Qualifier 
• Jamie Allen, of Kimball, Michigan, 41, Lower Limb Impairment, Qualifier 
• Carter Arey, of Columbia, Mo., 34, Lower Limb Impairment, Qualifier 
• Kurtis Barkley, of Canada, 36, Short Stature, Exempt 
• Ryder Barr, of Celina, Texas, 15, Upper Limb Impairment, Qualifier 
• Andrew Berglund, Stillwater, Minnesota, 24, Intellectual Impairment, Qualifier 
• Vince Biser, of Baltimore, Md., 36, Neurological Impairment, Committee Selection 
• Bailey Bish, of Tucson, Arizona, 24, Neurological Impairment, Exempt 
• Joakim Bjorkman, of Sweden, 33, Short Stature, Commitee Selection 
• Amy Bockerstette, of Phoenix, Arizona, 25, Intellectual Impairment, Qualifier 
• Jack Bonifant, of Kensington, Maryland, 34, Neurological Impairment, Qualifier 
• Kenny Bontz, of Parrish, Florida, 54, Lower Limb Impairment, Qualifier
• Erik Bowen, of Charlotte, North Carolina, 44, Multiple Limb Amputee, Qualifier 
• Albert Bowker, of Buellton, California, 27, Short Stature, Qualifier 
• Dustin Boydell, of Canada, 37, Neurological Impairment, Qualifier 
• Ryan Brenden, of Pierce, Nebraska, 48, Lower Limb Impairment, Qualifier 
• Austin Brown, of Richland, Washington, 27, Lower Limb Impairment, Qualifier 
• Mike Browne, of England, 46, Lower Limb Impairment, Exempt 
• Brandon Canesi, of Northfield, N.J., 32, Multiple Limb Amputee, Qualifier  
• Luke Carroll, of Old Hickory, Tennessee, 19, Neurological Impairment, Qualifier 
• Tyler Cashman, of Oldwick, N.J., 21, Vision Impairment, Qualifier 
• Larry Celano, of Chandler, Arizona, 55, Seated Players, Qualifier 
• Wellman Kody Conover, of Las Vegas, Nevada, 29, Intellectual Impairment, Qualifier 
• Amanda Cunha, of Kaneohe, Hawaii, 20, Vision Impairment, Exempt 
• Ryan Cutter, of Helena, Mont., 33, Multiple Limb Amputee, Committee Selection 
• Abigail Davis, of Houston, Texas, 22, Upper Limb Impairment, Exempt 
• David de Garavilla, of Telford, Pennsylvania, 41, Lower Limb Impairment, Qualifier 
• Mario Dino, of Denver, Colorado, 21, Neurological Impairment, Qualifier 
• Thomas Duffy, of Utica, Illinois, 25, Seated Players, Qualifier 
• Kyle Erickson, of Minneapolis, Minn., 41, Lower Limb Impairment, Qualifier 
• Jesse Florkowski, of Canada, 34, Upper Limb Impairment, Qualifier 
• Alex Fourie, of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, 31, Upper Limb Impairment, Qualifier 
• Anton Glass, of Bonita Springs, Florida, 28, Lower Limb Impairment, Exempt 
• Ken Green, of Danbury, Conn., 65, Lower Limb Impairment, Committee Selection  
• Harley Hartle, of Coraopolis, Pennsylvania, 26, Upper Limb Impairment, Qualifier 
• Ann Hayes, of Lee, Massachusetts, 61, Seated Players, Exempt 
• Tim Herrmann, of Cologne, Minnesota, 33, Lower Limb Impairment, Qualifier 
• Kirk Holmberg, of Hutchinson, Kansas, 56, Neurological Impairment, Qualifier 
• Bruce Hooper, of San Antonio, Texas, 78, Vision Impairment, Qualifier 
• Sophia Howard, of Hudsonville, Michigan, 17, Upper Limb Impairment, Qualifier 
• Ryanne Jackson, of Seminole, Florida, 26, Neurological Impairment, Exempt 
• William Jacobsen, of Auburn, Ala., 20, Intellectual Impairment, Qualifier 
• Andrew Johnson, of Whitmire, South Carolina, 24, Intellectual Impairment, Qualifier 
• Kiefer Jones, of Canada, 34, Vision Impairment, Exempt 
• Zdenka Kitagawa, of Alpharetta, Georgia, 61, Upper Limb Impairment, Qualifier 
• Nick Kimmel, of Fallbrook, Calif., 34, Multiple Limb Amputee, Committee Selection 
• Kelsey Koch, of Grand Blanc, Michigan, 32, Lower Limb Impairment, Qualifier 
• Brendan Lawlor, of Republic of Ireland, 32, Short Stature, Exempt 
• Sarah Larson, of Cato, Wisc., 45, Upper Limb Impairment, Qualifier 
• Nancy Lee, of New York, N.Y., 57, Lower Limb Impairment, Qualifier 
• Simon Lee, of Korea, 27, Intellectual Impairment, Exempt 
• Rasmus Lia, of Sweden, 23, Lower Limb Impairment, Exempt 
• Michael Madsen, of Meridian, Idaho, 43, Lower Limb Impairment, Qualifier 
• Ford Martin, of Nashville, Tennessee, 31, Neurological Impairment, Qualifier 
• Evan Mathias, of Indianapolis, Indiana, 28, Multiple Limb Amputee, Exempt 
• Ryan Matthews, of Anderson, Ind., 38, Upper Limb Impairment, Qualifier 
• Paul McCormack, of Republic of Ireland, 55, Vision Impairment, Qualifier 
• James Moceri, of Rochester Hills, Michigan, 35, Seated Players, Qualifier 
• Kim Moore, of Battle Creek, Michigan, 43, Lower Limb Impairment, Exempt 
• Michael Nicholson, of Tampa, Fla., 35, Seated Players, Committee Selection 
• Issa Nlareb, of Cameroon, 33, Multiple Limb Amputee, Committee Selection 
• Matthew Olsen, of Canby, Ore., 46, Upper Limb Impairment, Qualifier 
• Jake Olson, of Huntington Beach, Calif., 27, Vision Impairment, Commitee Selection 
• Chris Oviatt, of Milwaukie, Oregon, 60, Neurological Impairment, Qualifier 
• Wayne Perske, of Australia, 50, Lower Limb Impairment, Exempt 
• Chad Pfeifer, of Nampa, Idaho, 42, Lower Limb Impairment, Exempt 
• Kipp Popert, of England, 26, Neurological Impairment, Exempt 
• Juan Postigo, of Spain, 28, Lower Limb Impairment, Exempt 
• Ricky Reilly, of Syracuse, N.Y., 23, Short Stature, Qualifier 
• Stacey Rice, of Suwanee, Ga., 61, Lower Limb Impairment, Qualifier 
• Sam Roberts, of Lincoln, Nebraska, 18, Upper Limb Impairment, Qualifier 
• Brandon Rowland, of Jackson, Tennessee, 43, Multiple Limb Amputee, Qualifier 
• Mandi Sedlak, of Kearney, Nebraska, 34, Lower Limb Impairment, Qualifier 
• Cassandra Sengul, of Manassas, Virginia, 18, Neurological impairment, Qualifier 
• Randy Shack, of Sulphur Springs, Texas, 39, Seated Players, Qualifier  
• Matt Simon, of Orange, Calif., 31, Neurological Impairment, Qualifier 
• Deborah Smith, of Rockford, Ill., 62, Lower Limb Impairment, Qualifier 
• Natasha Stasiuk, of Canada, 26, Intellectual Impairment, Exempt 
• Jordan Thomas, of Nashville, Tennessee, 35, Multiple Limb Amputee, Qualifier 
• Max Togisala, of South Ogden, Utah, 20, Seated Players, Exempt 
• Tessa Trojan, of Canada, 35, Intellectual Impairment, Qualifier 
• Mariano Tubio, of Argentina, 44, Seated Players, Qualifier 
• Rueben Valdez, of Birmingham, Alabama, 34, Lower Limb Impairment, Qualifier 
• Kellie Valentine, of McKean, Pennsylvania, 53, Upper Limb Impairment, Qualifier 
• James Van Noord, of Troy, Michigan, 31, Neurological Impairment, Qualifier 
• Rose Veldman, of North Hollywood, California, 24, Multiple Limb Amputee, Qualifier 
• Eli Villanueva, of Fayetteville, North Carolina, 57, Upper Limb Impairment, Qualifier 
• Cathy Walch, of Buford, Ga., 58, Upper Limb Impairment, Qualifier |
• Robert Walden, of Mesa, Arizona, 52, Upper Limb Impairment, Qualifier 
• Dennis Walters, of Jupiter, Florida, 74, Seated Players, Qualifier 
• Joshua Williams, of Canada, 39, Lower Limb Impairment, Qualifier 
• Chris Willis, of Canada, 43, Upper Limb Impairment, Exempt 
• Lachlan Wood, of Australia, 33, Lower Limb Impairment, Exempt 
• Hayato Yoshida, of Japan, 40, Lower Limb Impairment, Qualifier 
• Peyton Zins, of Indianapolis, Ind., 22, Neurological Impairment, Qualifier 

 

This year’s championship will administer a cut for the first time, with the cut being made by low score (top 20 for men, top 10 for women), plus low two and ties from each impairment category after two rounds. Additional information on the U.S. Adaptive Open can be found here.