U.S. Adaptive Open Championship to Conduct Nationwide Qualifying

The USGA announced today that the U.S. Adaptive Open Championship will adopt a qualifying model for 2024. Conducted over 18 holes, qualifiers will be held at six sites across the United States between Apr. 15 and May 31. They will be administered by Allied Golf Associations (AGAs). In its first two years, the championship field was determined largely by Handicap Index ®.

“We have been thrilled with the interest in this championship and the growth of new adaptive competitions that it has inspired. As such, we have reached the point of introducing qualifying earlier than expected,” said John Bodenhamer, USGA chief championships officer. “In order to satisfy demand, we’re excited to roll out this new qualifying model, which will ensure high-caliber players are provided ample opportunity to earn a spot in the field and provide the championship the opportunity to embrace the openness that is a hallmark of USGA competitions.”

The following AGAs will conduct 18-hole stroke play qualifiers in 2024 (specific sites and dates will be available by early February):

• Florida State Golf Association
• Georgia State Golf Association
• Indiana Golf Association
• Metropolitan Golf Association (CT/NJ/NY)
• Southern California Golf Association
• Texas Golf Association

Online entry applications will open on Thursday, Feb. 22, at 9 a.m. ET, and close on Wednesday, Apr. 10 at 5 p.m. ET, and be available at champs.usga.org.

Developed to follow through on a 2017 pledge by the USGA to establish a championship for the adaptive golf community, the U.S. Adaptive Open Championship serves as the association’s 15th, and newest, national championship. Champions of this event have seen their names recorded in the annals of golf history alongside many of the game’s storied figures. In 2023, Ryanne Jackson (women’s) and Kipp Popert (men’s) captured the championship’s overall titles. In 2022, Kim Moore (women’s) and Simon Lee (men’s) emerged victorious during the inaugural playing.

A total of 18 players are fully exempt into the 2023 U.S. Adaptive Open based on performances over the past two years of the championship:

Key to Player Exemptions:
1)   Overall Winners of the U.S. Adaptive Open Championship (five-year exemption)
2)   From the 2023 U.S. Adaptive Open Championship, the five lowest overall female scores and the five lowest overall male scores, plus ties
3)   From the 2023 U.S. Adaptive Open Championship, the lowest female scorer and lowest male scorer from each Impairment Category, plus ties

The 2024 U.S. Adaptive Open will take place at Sand Creek Station in Newton, Kan., on July 8-10. This will be the second USGA championship conducted at Sand Creek Station, a public course with adaptive accomodations that opened in 2006 and takes its name from the Sand Creek, which borders several holes, and the town’s long history as a stop on the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway. In 2014, Byron Meth defeated Doug Ghim in 37 holes in the 89th and final U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship ever contested.

Last month, the USGA announced that Woodmont Country Club, in Rockville, Md., will host the 2025 and 2026 U.S. Adaptive Opens on its South Course, marking the second and third USGA championships at the 36-hole facility. In 2020, rising star Rose Zhang outlasted defending champion Gabriela Ruffels in a 38-hole final match to win the 120th U.S. Women’s Amateur at Woodmont. It was the second-longest match in championship history.

The Adaptive Open is open to male and female professional and amateur golfers, with a Handicap Index of 36.4 or less, and an eligible impairment confirmed by a WR4GD Pass. The championship is contested over 54 holes of stroke play. Multiple sets of tees will be utilized.