The G4D Tour is set to make history as it ventures to the United States for the first time, with the G4D Tour @ The CJ Cup Byron Nelson at TPC Craig Ranch.
Taking place from April 29-30, this two-round tournament precedes the PGA TOUR event on the same course, providing an opportunity for the world’s best golfers with a disability to showcase their talent.
Ten elite players, comprising eight men and two women, have qualified through the World Ranking for Golfers with Disability (WR4GD) to compete in the fourth event of the 2024 G4D Tour season.
World Number One Kipp Popert seeks his tenth G4D Tour title alongside seven other top-ten players from the Gross Ranking division of the WR4GD, including Daphne van Houten from the Netherlands and America’s Ryanne Jackson.
Australian Lachlan Wood, who recently achieved his first G4D Tour title at the ISPS HANDA Australian All Abilities Championship, and a runner-up finish at the G4D Tour @ Magical Kenya Open Presented by Absa, is excited about the upcoming tournament. He said, “It’s massive, it feels like another major event on the calendar”.
“To go up in front of the PGA TOUR, the fans, and the people of America, is great for golf. This event will hopefully get more people watching and inspire more people to play.”
Wood highlighted the broader significance of the event, adding, “It’s not just about showcasing talent but also about coming together with fellow players to champion inclusion and highlight the beauty of golf for all abilities. Golf is a game for everyone.”
Other notable competitors include former G4D Tour winners Brendan Lawlor from Ireland, Spaniard Juan Postigo Arce, Italy’s Tommaso Perrino, and England’s Mike Browne.
Joining them in Texas are Canadian Kurtis Barkley and American Chris Biggins, both seeking their first G4D Tour title.
Biggins shared his personal connection to golf, stating, “I don’t feel like I’m disabled during those moments in sport. When I play golf, I feel like everyone else.”
Van Houten, the leading female player on the WR4GD, and Jackson, the second-highest-ranked female making her G4D Tour debut, add further diversity to the field.
Van Houten explained the challenges she faces due to her disability: “Because I can’t turn my hips separately from my shoulders and upper body, I can’t get a lot of swing speed and I lose distance.
You have to find different ways to generate more speed or be better at other elements in golf like the short game.
My short game and putting are quite good as I do need them; I have put in a lot of practice over the years.”
For live scoring and additional coverage, fans can visit the DP World Tour and PGA TOUR websites, with updates available across the Tour’s social media channels.
Confirmed field for G4D Tour @ The CJ Cup Byron Nelson
Player | Country | World Ranking (Gross) |
Kipp Popert | England | 1 |
Brendan Lawlor | Ireland | 2 |
Chris Biggins | United States | 3 |
Juan Postigo Arce | Spain | 4 |
Kurtis Barkley | Canada | 6 |
Lachlan Wood | Australia | 7 |
Mike Browne | England | 8 |
Tomasso Perrino | Italy | 9 |
Daphne van Houten | Netherlands | 22 |
Ryanne Jackson | United States | 66 |