Adaptive golf has a new record-holder. Kipp Popert closed with a stunning 9-under 63 on Wednesday at Woodmont Country Club in Rockville, Maryland, to win the U.S. Adaptive Open for a fourth consecutive year — and in doing so became the first golfer in USGA history to win four straight USGA championships.
What Happened at Woodmont
The 28-year-old Englishman, who plays out of Wildernesse in Kent and competes in the neurological impairment category, was in the hunt from the opening round of the 54-hole championship. He saved his best for last, signing for a bogey-light 63 on the South Course to finish at 18-under 198 — comfortably clear of the field for his fourth title in the event’s five-year history.
On the women’s side, Kim Moore successfully defended her crown, closing out another U.S. Adaptive Open victory to add to her growing legacy in the championship. Their dual triumphs headlined a week that drew a global field of players competing across a range of impairment categories, from seated and intellectual to visual and multiple-limb amputee divisions.
Why It Matters
Winning four straight editions of any USGA championship is extraordinarily rare. The USGA has crowned champions since 1895, and no golfer had ever strung together four consecutive titles in a single USGA event until Popert did it. That places his run in genuinely historic company — a level of dominance in a national championship that even legends of the game never matched. For context on what sustained major-level dominance looks like, look no further than Tiger Woods’ 15-shot 2000 U.S. Open.
It also matters for the sport’s trajectory. The U.S. Adaptive Open only debuted in 2022, yet it has quickly become the flagship championship for golfers with disabilities. Popert and Moore are becoming the faces of a movement that is proving, week after week, that elite golf is not defined by physical convention — a bogey-light 63 is a bogey-light 63, however it is produced.
What This Means For You
You do not need a tour card — or even full mobility — to shoot lower scores. Popert’s game is built on the fundamentals every amateur can borrow, and his win is a reminder that consistency and short-game control beat raw power almost every time.
- Own your setup. Popert’s repeatable swing starts with alignment. Groove yours with these alignment stick drills before every range session.
- Score with the putter. Rounds in the 60s are made on the greens. Start your putts on line by learning how to aim a putter correctly.
- Read the lie. Elite players adjust for conditions the average golfer ignores — like knowing what a flyer lie is and how to play it.
- Play your own game. Adaptive champions succeed by maximizing what they can control. Pick targets you can actually hit and let the score take care of itself.
Key Takeaways
- Kipp Popert won his fourth consecutive U.S. Adaptive Open at Woodmont Country Club.
- He is the first golfer in USGA history to win four straight USGA championships.
- Popert closed with a 9-under 63 to finish at 18-under 198.
- Kim Moore successfully defended the women’s title.
- The U.S. Adaptive Open, launched in 2022, continues to raise the profile of golf for players with disabilities.
Results via the USGA.
