Popert and Lawlor lead at inaugural G4D Open

Kipp Popert and Brendan Lawlor set the pace on the opening day at Woburn to share the lead at the inaugural G4D Open.

The World's best ranked players topped the leaderboard following the first round of the G4D Open on Wednesday, with World Number One Popert and World Number Two Lawlor leading World Number Four Juan Postigo Arce by a single shot.

Popert, who is a five time winner on the G4D Tour in 2022/23, set the clubhouse target on the weather-interrupted opening round to start with a two under par 70 over the Duchess Course.

The Englishman, who was born with a form of Cerebral Palsy called Spastic Diplegia, bounced back from three bogeys in his first four holes with an eagle at the sixth, before carding three birdies in four holes from the 12th.

Popert then recovered from a bogey at the penultimate hole by hitting his approach to the 12 feet at the last, where he finished with a final birdie.

Play had been suspended just before 4pm due to heavy rain and thunderstorms, before he returned to complete his first round of the 54-hole-contest.

"I was really solid," said Popert.

"I was really pleased with how patient I was. I started three-over for a handful of holes, but knew once I started finding the fairways and finding my groove, I would be okay. That's what I told myself to do before the week started basically – if I had to chip out sideways I would, and that's what I did."

Lawlor, who is a multiple winner on the EDGA Tour and recently competed in Japan on the DP World Tour, also rallied over the final stretch late in the day to tie Popert at the top.

The 26 year old, who was born with rare bone disorder Ellis-Van Creveld Syndrome (characterised by a shorter stature and shorter limbs), began his round with two dropped shots, before birdies at four and six and a further bogey at seven left him one over at the turn.

The Irishman, who wrote this week's Player Blog, was steadier on the back-nine, stringing five consecutive pars together before making gains at 15, 16 and 17 to join the top of the leaderboard.

With play continuing late into the evening after the weather improved, Popert and Lawlor lead by a shot from Postigo Arce, after the Spaniard made two birdies in his closing four holes for a 71.

“I played quite good today," said Postigo.

"I was quite steady off the tee. I made one mistake and was lucky enough to get the ball back in the fairway. I putted great all the day. So yeah, everything came together. It's playing quite long (in the weather). I'm lucky enough to carry the ball quite far.”

The trio stand atop a leaderboard of 80 male and female players, including eight from the top-ten from the WR4GD, who are representing 17 countries.

The championship, held in partnership between The R&A and the DP World Tour and supported by EDGA (formerly the European Disabled Golf Association), is one of the most inclusive ever staged, featuring nine sport classes across multiple impairment groups.