USGA announces cut, new exemption categories for 2024…

USGA announces cut, new exemption categories for 2024 U.S. Adaptive Open

Now in its third year, the United States Golf Association’s 2024 U.S. Adaptive Open will feature some key changes compared to the first two editions.

This year’s championship, scheduled for July 8-10 at Sand Creek Station in Newton, Kansas, includes three new exemption categories as well as a cut for the first time.

The Adaptive Open is for male and female professional and amateur golfers who hold a Handicap Index of 36.4 or less, as well as an eligible impairment confirmed by a World Ranking for Golfers with Disability (WR4GD) Pass. Multiple sets of tees are used for the championship, which is contested over 54 holes of stroke play.

After the first two rounds, a cut will be administered with the low score (top 20 for men, top 10 for women), plus low two and ties from each impairment category advancing to the final round.

The first two Adaptive Open fields, held at Pinehurst No. 6 in North Carolina, were largely determined by Handicap Index. This year, qualifiers will be held at six sites across the country from April 15-May 31. The low overall female and male scorers from each qualifying site will earn spots in the championship, with ties resolved via a playoff. The remaining qualifying spots will be determined by Impairment Category and gender across all six qualifying sites using an adjusted Score Differential.

Effective this year, the USGA will employ the following three new exemption categories:

Overall male champion and overall female champion from the 2023 Canadian All Abilities Championship, presented by BDO (Chris Willis and Natasha Stasiuk)
Overall male champion and overall female champion from The 2024 G4D Open (to be contested May 15-17)
From the current WR4GD Gross Ranking – the top 10 men’s point leaders and ties, and the top five females and ties, as of April 3 (one week before entries close)

Online entry applications are now open and will close Wednesday, April 10, at 5 p.m. ET.