ROCKVILLE, Md. — Records are meant to be broken.
In Monday’s opening round of the 2025 U.S. Adaptive Open, Kipp Popert obliterated one of his own.
With a scorching 11-under 61 here at Woodmont Country Club, Popert, a 26-year-old Englishmen who was born with a form of cerebral palsy, shattered the single-round scoring record for the event, a 65 he posted in the opening round last year at Sand Creek Station Golf Course in Kansas.
Popert’s score was also the second-lowest round ever recorded in a USGA championship, one shot shy of the 60 fired by Billy Horschel at the 2006 U.S. Amateur.
“What was working?” Popert said. “I drove it well, wedged it really well, holed the putts.”
Popert’s impressive play should have come as no suprise. He is the No. 1-ranked disabled golfer in the world, and a two-time defending winner of the U.S. Adaptive Open. Last November, he competed in the LINK Hong Kong Open, one of 10 elevated events on the Asian Tour, marking the first time a disabled golfer had played in the tournament.
Earlier this year, Popert was slowed by fusion surgery in his left big toe, one of many physical setbacks he has overcome. Born with spastic diplegia, a form of cerebral palsy that impairs muscle movement, Popert has undergone upward of 10 major procedures in his legs and feet.
“Sadly, I did [this most recent] operation to get off tablets, and I’m on more at the moment,” Popert said, referring to pain killers. “This has happened a few times in my life and it has never slowed me down.”
In Monday’s opening round on Woodmont’s South Course, playing from tees that measured 6,439 yards, Popert started quickly with a birdie and an eagle in his first three holes, en route to a front-nine 29. He followed that with a back-nine 32 that included five birdies and one bogey. By day’s end, Popert held a six-stroke lead in the men’s overall division over Mike Brown of England and Max Togisala of Clearfield, Utah, both of whom shot 65.
Two more rounds remain in the 54-hole event.
The U.S. Adaptive Open is not the only USGA championship in Popert’s sights this year. He already has advanced through local qualifying in the U.S. Amateur. Final qualifying begins on July 14.
