Golf success no longer mere dream for Popert

Kipp Popert used to play out top amateur golf tournaments in his head as he lay in bed recovering from numerous operations during his childhood.

The operations were necessary to make day-today life a little easier after Popert was diagnosed with a form of cerebral palsy called spastic diplegia, which impairs the muscular movement in his legs.

But picturing himself playing in some of the game’s biggest events is no longer necessary after a season which saw Popert top the world rankings for golfers with a disability and set his sights on a career in the professional game.

A final round of 66 gave Popert victory in the European Disabled Golfers Association (EDGA) Hero Open at Fairmont St Andrews in August, taking him top of the rankings and securing his place in the season finale in Dubai, where he finished tied third behind Ireland’s Brendan Lawlor.

The event took place during the European Tour’s DP World Tour Championship – Lawlor was presented with his trophy alongside tournament and Race to Dubai winner Collin Morikawa – and intensified Popert’s ambition to qualify for the main Tour himself next year.

“With the European Tour looking to expand and give us more of these events, I’m really excited as to what I can achieve,” the 23-yearold from Kent told the PA news agency.

“I missed playing in big events for a lot of my teenage years because I was in and out of hospital and just imagined I was at them.

“I’ve come to these (EDGA events) for the first time and think I’m doing pretty well.

“I’ve been given the platform to really develop my game and I think it will be exciting what I can achieve in the future.

“They had the disability clinic for the kids with Ian Poulter in Dubai and for those kids to actually see golf as an option (is great).

“I never knew it was an option, I just loved it because I got to play with my dad and worked out I was OK at it.”

That’s an understatement considering Popert plays to a handicap of plus four, considerably lower than those held by Ryder Cup star Poulter and former Open champion Paul Lawrie when they turned professional.

Spain’s Angel Hidalgo set the clubhouse target before bad weather brought an end to day one of the Joburg Open at Randpark.

The threat of lightning forced play to be suspended shortly after 5pm local time, with Hidalgo among the players safely in the clubhouse following an opening six-under-par 65.

The 23-year-old recorded an eagle, six birdies and two bogeys to lead by one from England’s Ashley Chesters, with South Africa’s Dylan Frittelli part of a seven-strong group a shot further back on four under.

Pre-tournament favourite Dean Burmester, who hit the opening tee shot of the newly-named DP World Tour, is seven shots off the pace after an opening 72.

Compatriot JC Ritchie made a hole-in-one on the par-three 17th but cruelly missed out on winning the Jaguar XJR parked behind the tee, the prize only being on offer for the first ace in rounds three or four.

Scots Richie Ramsay and David Drysdale are four behind the clubhouse leader after carding 71s while Liam Johnston is well down the field after shooting a 79.

England’s Hannah Burke lies a shot off the lead after the first round of the Andalucia Costa del Sol Open de Espana.

Burke carded three birdies and a solitary bogey at Los Naranjos Golf Club as Belgium’s Manon De Roey, France’s Anne-lise Caudal and Spain’s Fatima Fernandez Cano set the pace on three under par.

Solheim Cup star Carlota Ciganda, Sweden’s Linda Wessberg and Argentina’s Magdalena Simmermacher were alongside Burke on two under, with Race to Costa del Sol champion Atthaya Thitikul on level par.

South Africa’s Lee-anne Pace made a hole-in-one on the par-three eighth but had to settle for an opening 73 following a doublebogey seven on the 18th.