5 things to know about the new U.S. Adaptive Open at Pinehurst, including who’s in the field and details on four separate tees
VILLAGE OF PINEHURST, North Carolina – The inaugural U.S. Adaptive Open begins on Monday at Pinehurst No. 6 and 96 competitors are on hand for the historic event.
Amy Bockerstette, who rose to fame with her fabulous par from a greenside bunker at the WM Phoenix Open alongside playing partner Gary Woodland, will compete in the intellectual impairment category. She recently fielded a good-luck call from One Direction’s Niall Horan. She talks to Woodland weekly.
“I love playing golf tournaments,” said an excited Bockerstette on the eve of the event. Bockerstette and her family have since founded the I Got This Foundation to provide golf instruction, playing opportunities and organized events for people with Down Syndrome and other intellectual disabilities.
The 54-hole Adaptive Open will be staged July 18-20 and will feature at least five male players and two females in each impairment category: arm impairment, leg impairment, multiple limb amputee, vision impairment, intellectual impairment, neurological impairment, seated players and short stature.
There are 15 players in the field with a Handicap Index better than 0.
Here are five things to know about the USGA’s 15th championship:
How No. 6 will be set up
The U.S. Adaptive Open Women’s Trophy and U.S. Adaptive Open Men’s Trophy as seen during a practice round for the 2022 U.S. Adaptive Open at Pinehurst No. 6 in the Pinehurst, N.C. on Sunday, July 17, 2022. (Copyright USGA/John Mummert)
Pinehurst No. 6 will be set up to four separate yardages, with the longest (blue) at 6,500 yards (men’s arm impairment, intellectual impairment, leg impairment, multiple limb amputee, neurological impairment, short stature). The white tees will be set at 6,100 for male players in the vision impairment category.
Men in the seated category will compete from 5,100 yards (red tees) along with women in the arm impairment, intellectual impairment, leg impairment, neurological impairment and vision impairment.
Finally, women who are multiple limb amputees and seated players will compete from the yellow tees at 4,700 yards.
Carts are permitted for all players and caddies, and men and women will compete alongside each other in the same groups.
Who's in the field
The USGA accepted 299 entries for the inaugural championship, which was open to any professional or amateur golfer with a Handicap Index not exceeding 36.4 who has an eligible impairment confirmed by a WR4GD (World Ranking for Golfers with Disability) Pass.
There are 29 states represented and 11 countries.
Amy Bockerstette and Gary Woodland before the start of the Waste Management Phoenix Open.
How it's scored
The championship will be conducted using the maximum score format, which has been set at double par for each hole.
There will be both a male and female overall champion and each will receive a gold medal and custody of the U.S. Open Adaptive Trophy for one year.
Average age of field
PGA pro Alex Fourie. (courtesy photo)
The average of the field this week is 40. The youngest player, Sophia Howard, is 15 and the oldest, Judi Brush, is 80.
Here’s the field breakdown by age:
15-20: 5 competitors
21-30: 21 competitors
31-40: 24 competitors
41-60: 40 competitors
61-81: 6 competitors
How to watch
While there will be no full television coverage of the event, fans can watch near real-time highlights and feature stories during Golf Today (noon-2 p.m. ET) and Golf Central (4-5 p.m. ET) on Golf Channel.
The trophy ceremony will be shown July 20 on Golf Central.
Dennis Walters practices for the 2022 U.S. Adaptive Open at Pinehurst No. 6 in Pinehurst, North Carolina. (Photo: Jeff Haynes/USGA)
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