Final round — Kipp Popert closed with a 9-under 63 to claim his fourth consecutive U.S. Adaptive Open title, pulling away from the field Wednesday at Woodmont Country Club with a 54-hole total of 18-under 198.
The Englishman, who opened with rounds of 68-67, broke clear with his lowest round of the week to win by six shots over Simon Lee, who posted a final-round 65 to finish at 12-under 204. Max Togisala of Ogden, Utah, tied for third at 9-under 207 after a closing 67.
Kim Moore successfully defended her women's overall title, shooting 76 in each of the three rounds to finish at 12-over 228. Moore won by six strokes over Bailey Bish and Sunyoung Kim, who both finished at 18-over 234. Bish closed with 79, while Kim posted 81 in the final round.
The U.S. Adaptive Open Championship returns to Woodmont Country Club's South Course in Rockville, Maryland, July 6-9, bringing the USGA's newest national championship back to one of adaptive golf's most prominent stages.
Now in its fifth edition, the 54-hole stroke play championship features 96 male and female golfers with physical, sensory, or intellectual impairments. Players will compete for overall men's and women's titles, as well as division titles across eight impairment categories.
Defending champions return to Rockville
Kipp Popert of England returns as the player to beat after another dominant performance in 2025. Popert won the men's overall title at Woodmont with a 24-under-par total of 192, opening with a 61 and cruising to a 12-shot victory over Simon Lee of the Republic of Korea and Lachlan Wood of Australia.
The win marked Popert's third consecutive U.S. Adaptive Open title, continuing one of the most impressive runs in the championship's young history.
On the women's side, Kim Moore of Fort Wayne, Indiana, returns as the defending overall champion. Moore edged out Bailey Bish by three strokes in 2025 to claim the title at Woodmont.
A championship-ready South Course
Woodmont's South Course will again provide a demanding but thoughtfully designed test for the field. The course completed a major renovation in fall 2023, led by Joel Weiman, with adaptive golf kept at the forefront of the redesign.
The layout features expansive fairways, a variety of teeing areas, and shallow bunker designs that help create a championship setup for players across multiple impairment categories. Woodmont will be set up at five different yardages, ranging from 3,575 to 6,421 yards.
Players to watch
Several familiar contenders return to Woodmont, led by Lee, the inaugural men's overall champion, who finished runner-up last year after rounds of 69-69-66.
Ireland's Brendan Lawlor, one of the most recognizable names in adaptive golf, finished fourth in 2025 and brings a decorated international resume to the field. Wood, who tied for second last year, also returns as one of the top exempt players.
Chad Pfeifer of Caldwell, Idaho, tied for fifth in 2025 and will bring experience and consistency back to Rockville. Max Togisala of Clearfield, Usah, finished sixth last year, while Maryland native Ford Martin, who tied for 10th, wil have local ties on his side.
Field, format, and what is at stake
The 2026 field includes players across eight impairment categories: upper limb impairment, lower limb impairment, multiple limb amputee, vision impairments, intellectual impairment, coordination impairment, seated players, and short stature.
Eighteen holes are scheduled each day from Monday, July 6, through Wednesday, July 8. After two rounds, a cut will be made to the top 20 and ties for men, top 10 and ties for women, top 3 men and ties, and top two women and ties from each impairment category, plus any player within five strokes of their impairment category leader.
The overall male and female champions will receive a gold medal, custody of the U.S. Adaptive Open Trophy for one year, and a five-year exemption from future U.S. Adaptive Opens. Impairment category winners will receive a one-year exemption.
How to watch
The final round will be broadcast live on Golf Channel from 1-4 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, July 8.
A growing championship stage
Since its debut in 2022, the U.S. Adaptive Open has quickly become a signature event in adaptive golf, providing a championship stage for the game's best players with disabilities.
With Popert and Moore returning to defend their titles, several past contenders back in the field, and Woodmont once again providing the test, the fifth U.S. Adaptive Open is set to showcase the depth and growth of adaptive golf.
