Defending champion Brendan Lawlor is set for another final-round duel with Kipp Popert after moving one shot ahead of the world’s leading golfer with a disability at The G4D Open.
The 27-year-old Irishman, who trailed Popert by three shots after the opening day’s play, mixed four birdies with three bogeys to sign for a one-under-par 71 on day two at Woburn.
Lawlor, who has a rare condition called Ellis–van Creveld syndrome, edged out Popert to make history at last year’s inaugural edition and is excited by the prospect of the pair going head-to-head again over the Duchess Course.
“Me and Kipp get on pretty well, he is a really good golfer," he said, His game is on a really good level, but my game is also on a really good level.
“He is Number One at the minute and I want to take that off him eventually, he is too far ahead but if you can go out and win this event, I think it is true who the real Number One player is. We will see what happens.
“I have never defended before. That is going to be really exciting for me to go out and do it. I am not going to put pressure on myself to go out and defend my title.
“If Kipp goes out and shoots six under there is nothing I can do but I want to go out and shoot an under par round and see where it leaves me.”
Popert, 25, opened the championship with an impressive 68 on Wednesday but was able to meet those same heights as he made four bogeys in his 75, with a birdie at the last helping him ensure Lawlor’s lead is slender.
The Englishman, who has cerebral palsy, has already won nine titles on the G4D Tour since its inception in 2022 and is intent on adding more silverware to his name on Friday.
“Everything I was trying to achieve today I sort of managed in the sense of focusing on what I could control.
“I don’t know if it looked it but I was trying to be as patient as I possibly could. A younger Kipp might have got a bit frustrated.
“I know I am playing well. That [knowledge] was quite nice out there. I didn’t get frustrated. I trusted myself and I am very excited for tomorrow.”
Canadian Chris Willis, who was born with bone issues in the leg, vertebrae, and hand, sits third at four over after a 73, with Englishman Thomas Blizzard a shot further back on his debut after matching that score.
Lachlan Wood of Australia and England’s Mike Browne, both winners so far this season on the G4D Tour, sit in a tie for fifth after they lost ground after promising opening rounds.
Daphne van Houten from the Netherlands, the leading women’s player in the field, is best placed to emerge as the women’s champion after an 80 left her just inside the top 25.
Established last year, the Championship – held in partnership between the DP World Tour and The R&A and supported by EDGA (formally the European Disabled Golf Association) – is one of the most inclusive ever staged.
The G4D Open features nine sport classes across multiple impairment groups, with 80 men and women players of both amateur and professional status representing 19 countries.
Contested over three days until Friday across 54 holes of gross stroke play, there will be an overall winner, along with an opposite sex winner and a gross prize in each of the sport classes which cover various categories in Standing, Intellectual, Visual and Sitting.
Spectators are welcome to attend at Woburn for The G4D Open, with attendance and car parking free of charge.
