Kipp Popert arrives at the G4D Tour Series Finale with an excitement about what is to come as he looks to round off a fine individual year by winning his fifth G4D Tour title at the Earth Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates.
The Englishman is one of eight leading golfers with a disability taking part in the final event of the inaugural G4D Tour season, held concurrently with the DP World Tour Championship, the final Rolex Series event of 2022.
Victory in the most recent G4D Tour event at Valderrama helped Popert return to first in the World Ranking for Golfers with Disability (WR4GD) last month.
Asked to assess his year, he said: “I think it's just been really eye-opening to be honest.
“It's been a great experience playing on the tough courses that the DP World Tour have and just eye-opening getting to know my fellow competitors more.
“We have all used golf to sort of better our lives and overcome hurdles, so it's been really good fun.
“I think the stuff off the golf course has been as good as the stuff on it.
“Holing putts to win is always what I've dreamed of and worked towards, and to see it come off - when I'm hitting a shot under pressure.
“I trust that I've done all the hard work and it will come off sometimes and it won't others, and you just keep going.”
Popert won the season-opening G4D @ Betfred British Masters hosted by Danny Willett, before subsequent wins at G4D @ Porsche European Open and G4D @ BMW PGA Championship, before he tamed Valderrama for his fourth success.
Now, he will look to underline his dominance by closing out the season with another victory, having finished in a tie for third place at last year’s EDGA Dubai Finale.
“I feel very prepared,” he said. “I worked extremely hard the last few weeks and this year, and the competing, that's the easy bit.
“You just let it happen. Whoever lifts the trophy on Saturday will deserve it. Just see how we go.”
Popert is pleased to have played his part in helping shine a light on disability golf this year, something fellow G4D Tour winner Tommaso Perrino echoes.
The Italian won G4D @ ISPS Handa World Invitational Presented by Aviv Clinics in Northern Ireland in August and hopes others are encouraged to pursue a career in the sport.
“I am the chief of the Italian national team because I want to help my friends in Italy that have a problem to play golf and to improve their golf.
“But the message is the person that has a problem in life, must start to play golf because they can find something different in their normal life, and you can have happiness in your life and improve your life.
“Because you have much time to spend in golf, and every day you can improve your golf and your mind go away from the problem and start to see a different world, more beautiful and more satisfaction in golf.”
