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

11 countries and 32 states will be represented in Newton, Kansas, with an age range from 15 to 78

LIBERTY CORNER, N.J. (June 26, 2024) – 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.