PINEHURST — When people attend or tune in to watch a golf tournament there are things most golf fans hope to see — interesting storylines, both the joy and agony of the game, and of course some competition, and great golf shots.
All of these boxes were checked this week when the United States Golf Association hosted the Inaugural U.S. Adaptive Open at Pinehurst No. 6.
The storylines this week are nearly endless. By its definition and entrance, criteria for the Adaptive Open sets up for every single player in the field to have an interesting story.
Close your eyes and pick any player in the field and you are almost guaranteed to find a unique and intriguing story behind the incredible golf games on display.
Maybe you land on Jake Olsen, of Huntington Beach, California (Vision Impairment category), the former USC kicker and first ever blind collegiate football player who made history again this week as one of the first vision impaired athletes to compete in the U.S. Adaptive Open.
“Blindness isn’t going to rob me of this game that I love,” Olsen said.
Maybe you land on one-armed PGA pro Alex Fourie of Knoxville, Tennessee (Arm Impairment category), who was adopted from a Ukrainian orphanage and whose charity Single Hand Golf raised money and helped relocate 300 orphans from war-torn Ukraine.
Though Fourie didn’t have the week he was hoping for, he did comment on Tuesday: “I may have played like crap but I am going to have a good attitude and have fun out there.”
A good attitude and having fun was a common theme when hearing players interact with each other, fans, or the media.
Though the golf course, which featured some tough undulating greens and elevation changes, played hard and had a way of — as most courses do — making us question our desire to ever pick up a golf club again, every player out there had a smile on their face at the end of the day.
Yes there were some groans, moans and frowns, but when heading off the 18th green on Wednesday smiles were present on every face.
The stories this week are endless.
Though inspirational stories were on full display this week, impressive golf games and golf shots were found on every hole.
Golf is hard enough on its own and, by its definition, all 96 players in the field have either had to learn or relearn the game adaptively.
Most golfers will never scare shooting in the 70s not to speak of shooting even par and not a day went by that a competitor wasn’t running off a string of birdies, draining an eagle putt, shooting par or better, or making a hole in one as Jeremy Bittner of Moon Township, Pennsylvania, did on Tuesday.
While walking the course taking pictures, almost a hole wouldn’t go by without oohs, ahhs, applause or cheering coming from the patrons present.
The competition this week, especially on the men’s side, was palpable. This was especially evident on the final round Wednesday when you could tell the intensity really ratcheted up.
Champion Simon Lee, of the Republic of Korea, and runner-up Felix Norrman of Sweden — both playing in the Intellectual Impairment category — traded shots all day. Chad Pfifer of Caldwell, Idaho (Leg Impairment category), also made a bit of a run mid-round with a solid five under stretch between the 6th and 15th holes to stay within striking distance before a double bogey on hole 17 took him out of contention.
At the end of regulation play, Lee and Norrman ended tied at -3. After tee shots on 18, it looked as if Norrman would likely take the championship when Lee’s ball ended up right of the fairway in the woods with tree trouble.
Lee hit a miraculous shot through the branches, landing on the green. With both two putting from there, it would be on to a two-hole aggregate playoff when Lee would sink a long birdie putt on 17 and par 18 to take the title of Mens U.S. Adaptive Open champion.
Just as impressive on the women’s side, Kim Moore, of Portage Michigan (Leg Impairment category) would maintain and extend the lead she built from days one and two and become the first wire-to-wire U.S. Adaptive Open champion.
The USGA and U.S. Adaptive Open will return to Pinehurst No. 6 next year July 17-19.
With all the boxes checked off this year, being the inaugural event, one could expect that next year the excitement, drama, and competition will only be elevated.
Click here to see more photos from the tournament.
