World Number One Kipp Popert will defend a G4D Tour title for the first time next week when some of the world’s best golfers with a disability tee it up at The Belfry for the G4D Tour @ Betfred British Masters.
The Englishman, who holds the number one spot on the World Ranking for Golfers with a Disability (WR4GD), was the dominant force on the G4D (Golf for the Disabled) Tour in 2022, and his victory at The Belfry was the first of four wins during the Tour’s inaugural season.
His play-off victory over Kurtis Barkley and Chris Biggins was made even more special as the youngster studied at the University of Birmingham and had lectures at The Belfry.
“I’m really looking forward to coming back to The Belfry and trying to defend my G4D Tour @ Betfred British Masters title,” said Popert. “I absolutely love playing The Belfry and love being in Birmingham. I went to Uni there for a couple of years.
“The G4D Tour is going from strength to strength and I look forward to giving it my best shot to retain the title.”
Popert won his fifth G4D Tour title at the Australian All Abilities Championship in December and has had three further runner-up finishes this season.
He will face stiff competition at next week’s event as the field includes recent G4D Open champion and World Number Two Brendan Lawlor of Ireland and two-time G4D Tour winner Juan Postigo Arce from Spain.
Postigo Arce won his first title at the G4D Tour @ Hero Cup and then claimed his second victory in style as he chipped in from off the green at the G4D Tour @ Volvo Car Scandinavian Mixed to win by one shot from Popert a fortnight ago.
Set to make his G4D Tour debut is Australian Lachlan Wood. The 32-year-old has been in exceptional form this year, winning four times across the Victorian Inclusive Championship, Queensland All Inclusive Championship, the New Zealand All Abilities Championship and the TPS Hunter Valley All Abilities.
When he was 16, Wood was a passenger in a high-speed vehicle accident, sustaining multiple fractures and resulting in his left leg being four centimetres shorter than his right.
“I’m looking forward to debuting at the G4D Tour @ Betfred British Masters,” he said. “Learning about how the G4D Tour and the DP World Tour have made the Tour so inclusive and supportive of us on a world-class stage has motivated me a lot. I’m working extremely hard on every part of my game on and off the course so I can continue to climb up the World Rankings and compete across the globe against the best in the world.
“I could have only imagined opportunities like this, but to have it become real is life changing. I hope I can help inspire others to never give up, never stop dreaming and never stop pursuing your dreams, even if life throws you some bad cards or a life changing injury or illness.”
Also set to tee it up at The Belfry are Englishman Mike Browne, Rasmus Lia of Sweden and Italy’s Tommaso Perrino, who also won G4D Tour titles in 2022, as well as Kurtis Barkley of Canada, Ireland’s Aiden Grenham and Englishman Bradley Smith.
