With seven tournaments taking place on the same course, in the same week, as DP World Tour events - the inaugural G4D Tour season created a global platform for golfers with a disability.
Strengthening the existing collaboration between the DP World Tour and the European Disabled Golfer Association (EDGA), the 2022 season comprised seven two-day tournaments in six different countries, starring the world’s best golfers with a disability.
Following on from five events for golfers with a disability across 2021, the inaugural G4D season saw first visits to four venues including the iconic Wentworth Club in England.
The campaign culminated at the G4D Tour Series Finale @ DP World Tour Championship in the week of the last Rolex Series event of the 2022 DP World Tour season at Jumeirah Golf Estates’ Earth Course.
While an expanded 2023 season is already under way - with Kipp Popert claiming a remarkable fifth G4D victory at the Australian All Abilities Championship @ the ISPS HANDA Australian Open - here we reflect on how the 2022 G4D Tour season played out…
Popert prevails in play-off at The Belfry
The first event of the new G4D Tour took place at The Belfry in early May, alongside the Betfred British Masters hosted by Danny Willett.
The leading golfers from the gross World Ranking for Golfers with a Disability (WR4GD) were making their first visit to the historic venue, one of four new stops on the schedule.
Kipp Popert made history with a play-off victory against Kurtis Barkley and Chris Biggins to take home the G4D Tour @ Betfred British Masters hosted by Danny Willett title, kick-starting what would be an incredible debut season.
The Englishman started the final round on the iconic Brabazon Course two strokes back from Barkley but carded a one over par round to sign for a three over par total as he was joined on that number by the Canadian and American Biggins.
After Biggins was eliminated on the first extra hole with a bogey, Popert, who studied at the University of Birmingham and had lectures at The Belfry, sealed victory with a bogey on the following hole.
Double delight for Popert in Germany
Later that month, Popert made it two wins from two as Germany hosted its first G4D Tour event in the week of the Porsche European Open.
For the second event in a row, a play-off was required to determine the winner with Popert outlasting World Number One Brendan Lawlor at the challenging Porsche Nord Course at Green Eagle Golf Courses.
Trailing Lawlor by one shot heading into the final day, Popert made birdies at the 11th, 13th and 17th to card a one under par 71 to finish at one over par as Ireland’s Lawlor bogeyed the last to join him on that number.
Both players birdied the first play-off hole and then parred the second to force a third sudden-death hole, the par five 18th.
When Lawlor found the water with his second shot, the door was open for Popert to seal his second G4D Tour title of the season with a two-putt par.
Browne wins in Ireland
Mike Browne broke fellow Englishman Popert’s early season dominance with a four-shot win at the G4D Tour @ Horizon Irish Open in late June.
After a brilliant two under par 70 on the opening day at Mount Juliet Estate, Browne followed that with a 74 to finish the event at level par.
Spaniard Juan Postigo Arce was the next best on the leaderboard after back-to-back rounds of 74 in Ireland, with G4D Tour debutant Bradley Smith in third place seven shots off the lead.
Brown, who finished seventh and fourth in the two previous events, made a nervous start to his final round, with bogeys on three of the opening six holes.
That saw his overnight four shot advantage reduced to just one but he responded with back-to-back birdies at the ninth and tenth to reassert his control, before sealing a victory that made him feel ‘on top of the world’.
Perrino too strong at Galgorm
Italy’s Tommaso Perrino became the third first-time winner of a G4D Tour title when he secured a five-shot victory at G4D Tour @ ISPS HANDA World Invitational presented by Aviv Clinics.
Perrino held a one stroke lead over Lawlor at Galgorm Castle Golf Club following the opening day’s play in which he shot a four under par 68.
A closing two under par 70, which featured five birdies, saw him cruise to a convincing victory, with Lawlor and Popert sharing second place.
Reflecting on his victory, Perrino said he had played “perfectly” to add the title to his many previous successes in his career on the golf for the disabled circuit.
The triumph saw Perrino become the third player after Popert and Brown to book their spot in the field for the season-ending G4D Tour Series Finale @ DP World Tour Championship.
Popert claims G4D Tour hat-trick at Wentworth
The fifth G4D Tour event of the season saw Wentworth’s West Course play host to ten of the leading golfers with a disability for the first time.
Despite opening the tournament with back-to-back bogeys, Popert went on to claim his third G4D Tour title in the space of five months.
The then World Number Two followed a level par 72 in the first round with a three under 69 on day two to finish three shots clear of Lawlor, who settled for his third runner-up finish of the season.
Three birdies on the front nine by Browne brought him level with overnight leader Popert at the turn, before the latter clicked into gear with a back nine of four under par 33.
Back-to-back birdies by Popert over the closing two holes capped a fine performance for the 24-year-old, who had several of his family members watching on in support.
Popert tames Valderrama for fourth success
The notoriously challenging Valderrama played host to the sixth and penultimate event of the season, the G4D Tour @ Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucia Masters.
For the fourth time, Popert rose above the rest of the field as he sealed a five-shot victory in southern Spain, which in turn helped him return to the summit of world rankings.
The highlight of the event came when he made a hole in one at the par three sixth on day one – the first ace of the 2022 campaign – during an opening three under par 68 that saw him build a three shot overnight advantage.
Despite an impressive 67 by Biggins in the second and final round, Popert was never unduly in danger of missing out on the title as he eagled the par five 17th on his way to a closing 69.
Local favourite Postigo Arce finished one shot further back of runner-up Biggins in third place as both players sealed their spots in the field for Dubai by virtue of their performances over the season.
Lia lands maiden G4D title in Dubai
The inaugural campaign came to a close at Jumeirah Golf Estates, where an eight-strong field including all of the season’s previous winners gathered at the G4D Tour Finale @ DP World Tour Championship..
Playing in his fourth G4D Tour event of the season, Lia claimed his maiden victory to become the fourth different champion, in the same week as the final Rolex Series event of the 2022 DP World Tour season
The Swede, who had his father Trond as his caddie for the first time, shot a three-over-par 75 on the opening day of the season-ending event which featured eight leading disability golfers.
Despite facing pressure from the rest of the field on the final day, Lia produced an assured back nine in a level-par 72 to finish four strokes clear of American Chris Biggins and Canadian Kurtis Barkley.
Reflecting on the platform the G4D Tour has provided disability golfers and inspiring future generations, Lia said: “Work hard, keep believing in yourself and maybe we can be on this stage someday.”
