One of the biggest weeks on the All Abilities calendar is upon us, with 80 of the world's best golfers with a disability, including seven Australians, descending on Woburn Golf Club in England for the third edition of The G4D Open.
Played on the Duchess Course, all players compete in the overall championship, as well as in their designated Sport Class, which are designed to reflect the way each golfer plays as a result of their impairment/s.
Australia's best chance for the overall championship is Queenslander Lachlan Wood, the 2023 Australian All Abilities champion currently ranked fourth on the World Ranking for Golfers with Disability (WR4GD).
Wood finished in a share of fourth last year alongside fellow Australian Wayne Perske after being the only player to post an under-par final round.
Another great chance from the Australia contingent is Coffs Harbour's Cameron Pollard, who has been missed on the local All Abilities circuit for some time, but returns from surgery this week.
Playing off 0.2, Pollard is currently ranked 17 on the WR4GD and last year won his Sport Class (Intellectual 1) at Woburn.
Another New South Welshman, Nick Taylor, will be a contender for a Sports Class win, this time in the Sitting 2 Class.
Taylor is a two-time Australian Wheelchair Golf champion, and plays off an incredible 9.5 handicap.
Another former Australian All Abilities titleholder in Kipp Popert is this week’s defending champion, with regulars to Australian shores Brendan Lawlor and Juan Postigo also in the field.
Follow all the scoring HERE.
Australians in the field:
Lachlan Wood
Age: 34
Home club: Hervey Bay Golf Club, QLD
Handicap Index: +1.9
World Ranking: 4 (Gross)
Sport Class: Standing 3
Cameron Pollard
Age: 26
Home club: Coffs Harbour Golf Club, NSW
Handicap Index: 0.2
World Ranking: 17 (Gross)
Sport Class: Intellectual 1
Steven ‘Spud’ Alderson
Age: 44
Home club: Willunga Golf Club, SA
Handicap Index: 1.6
World Ranking: 28 (Gross)
Sport Class: Intellectual 2
Gary Burgess
Age: 64
Home club: SOS Golf, Wembley Golf Complex, WA
Handicap Index: 11.0
World Ranking: 77 (Net)
Sport Class: Standing 1
Nick Taylor
Age: 45
Home club: Port Kembla Golf Club, NSW
Handicap Index: 9.5
World Ranking: 12 (Seated players, Gross)
Sport Class: Sitting 2
George Vassiliadis
Age: 31
Home club: The Links Lady Bay Golf Resort, SA
Handicap Index: 6.5
World Ranking: 88 (Gross)
Sport Class: Standing 1
Keith Dobie
Age: 65
Home club: Wynnum Golf Club, QLD
Handicap Index: 15.3
World Ranking: 113 (Nett)
Sport Class: Standing 1