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The G4D Open
Close contests for men’s and women’s titles at The G4D Open
16 May 25
Long Read
Brendan Lawlor holds a narrow advantage in his pursuit of a second men’s G4D Open title, with the women’s event also set for an exciting finish at Woburn.
On a glorious day over the Duchess Course, Irishman Lawlor saw his two-stroke overnight lead cut to one shot ahead of France’s Thomas Colombel going into the final round tomorrow. In the women’s championship, defending champion Daphne van Houten from The Netherlands is tied with Jennifer Sräga from Germany as they vie for success. Lawlor, winner of the inaugural G4D Open in 2023 and third on the World Ranking for Golfers with Disability (WR4GD), mixed two birdies with four bogeys for a 74 and a 36-hole total of two-over-par 146.Lawlor aggressive The 28-year-old, who has a rare condition called Ellis–van Creveld syndrome, characterised by a shorter stature and shorter limbs, has finished consistently highly in G4D Tour events and is looking to build on his runner-up finish behind Kipp Popert a year ago. He said, “It was fiery out there today in the sun but I'm hitting it pretty good. I just need to swing it hard, that's my motto. I'm going to go out with that attitude tomorrow and be aggressive. I was very aggressive both days hitting driver where other people wouldn't and it's paying off. “I'm going to keep my game plan going and hopefully it’s a low one tomorrow. I think the winner is going to come from the top three because it's hard to go lower.” Colombel produced a fine display to sign for a level-par 72 after four birdies and four bogeys for three-over 147. The 23-year-old left-hander, who is autistic, finished eighth in The G4D Open last year.
Thomas Colombel is in contention for The G4D Open.
Chasing pack
“I'm really happy,” stated Colombel. “I birdied all the par-5s four different ways, but a birdie at the end of each. I played some tremendous golf but the putts didn't drop really on the back nine. “I just kept going and trusted the process with my caddie. We did a great job today. It was really good. We were like super-pumped on the course. We stayed aware of where I was compared to the other guys and tomorrow I will just enjoy it and see what happens.” Danish debutant Frederik Brokfelt-Christiansen, the youngest player in the field, is one shot further back on four-over 148 after a second successive 74. Brokfelt-Christiansen, 18, who has scoliosis of the spine, started with three straight birdies, faltered with a double-bogey at the 5th and only had five pars in an up-and-down round. Englishman Thomas Blizzard, who is also autistic, is sitting fourth on six-over 150 on a tightly-contested leaderboard. Brokfelt-Christiansen said, “It was a very mad round. I didn't really like it. I normally just like to make an easy par, get up to the green in two and just two-putt. But, yeah, today was a crazy day. Coming here for the first time, I was talking about it for fun at home that a top-five would be nice. I’ve just come out here and had fun.”Women’s event
In the women’s field, last year’s winner van Houten is on the same 171 mark as Sräga. With both players commenting on the challenging fiery conditions, the pair sit four strokes ahead of Aimi Bullock from England.
Daphne van Houten is vying for another title.
Born with scoliosis and since faced other health battles, van Houten’s victory 12 months ago followed numerous wins on the EDGA Tour for the 26-year-old. Sräga, 25, was born with Achondroplasia, commonly called short stature, and is making her Championship debut having competed for Germany in the European Team Championship last year.
“I do know how it feels to be under pressure,” said van Houten. “Jenny (Sräga) and me are on the same score and it's going to be a tight match tomorrow. I know how it feels to be in the lead, be in the first group, and it can put you under some pressure because there's going to be people watching.
“The players behind us are also not very far back. I think experience helps me so I really need to go and rest today and take as much energy as I can for tomorrow.”
Fun on fairways
Sräga added, “It was really fun playing with Daphne (van Houten) today. It's always fun playing together. We make jokes and have fun and it's really competitive. I know it's going to be hard because Daphne is a really good player. I just try to stay focussed and not let her go away. “I think you see that I am able to win. I can handle it. But Daphne is really good, she's the defending champion. But I will give my best and I want to win.”
Jennifer Sräga is targeting the women's title at The G4D Open.
The G4D Open – held in partnership between The R&A and the DP World Tour and supported by EDGA – is one of the most inclusive ever staged. The Championship features nine sport classes across multiple impairment groups, with 80 men and women players of both amateur and professional status representing 20 countries.
Contested over three days until tomorrow across 54 holes of gross stroke play, there will be overall men’s and women’s winners and a gross prize in each of the sport classes which cover various categories in Standing, Intellectual, Visual and Sitting.
Spectators are encouraged to attend at Woburn for The G4D Open, with attendance and car parking free of charge.
The establishment of The G4D Open follows on from the inclusion of the Modified Rules of Golf for Players with Disabilities into the Rules of Golf and The R&A and USGA’s on-going administration of the WR4GD.