Tournament: The G4D Open
Venue: Roman Road Course, Celtic Manor Resort, Wales
Hashtag: #G4DOpen
Simon Seungmin Lee from the Republic of Korea and Germany’s Jennifer Sräga enjoyed memorable first victories at The G4D Open after a tense final day at Celtic Manor Resort.
Both the men’s and women’s championships provided drama to the final hole in Wales before Lee and Sräga narrowly prevailed over the Roman Road Course.
Lee, number two on the World Ranking for Golfers with Disability (WR4GD), savoured success on his debut at The G4D Open, closing with a one-over-par 71 for a winning total of three-over 213 for the 54 holes. The 28-year-old held his nerve for a par down the last to edge out overnight leader, Issa Nlareb A Amang from Cameroon, by a shot. Australia’s Lachlan Wood finished third with a score of 219 for the 54 holes.
Sräga, 26, denied Daphne van Houten from the Netherlands a hat-trick of titles after also making a crucial par on the 18th to triumph by a stroke on a winning total of 246.
The G4D Open, staged in partnership between the DP World Tour and The R&A and supported by EDGA, was held at Celtic Manor for the first time after three previous editions at Woburn. The Championship is one of the most inclusive ever held, with the world’s most talented golfers with disabilities displaying their skills.
Lee, who is autistic, added to his titles after triumphing at the US Adaptive Open in 2022. He also won the 2025 ISPS HANDA Australian All Abilities Championship and the Glico Paragolf Championship in Japan for three straight years.
Nlareb A Amang pulled to within a stroke of Lee after a brilliant 40-yard chip-in for eagle at the 17th with his 9-iron, but he struggled in the cold conditions throughout the final day and racked up 40 putts in his closing 73.
The 35-year-old was a professional player when, in 2018, bacterial meningitis led to a double leg amputation and severely damaged hands. The world number seven has since fought back to health and last month won the EDGA Tour Pas de Calais in France before also making his G4D Open debut.
Defending men’s champion Brendan Lawlor ignited his hopes of a third title thanks to a stunning run of birdies which took him to the turn in four-under 33 – the best front nine of the week – and into second place. But the Irishman’s hopes unravelled after dropping six shots from the 12th and he had to settle for a tie for fifth place on 11-over. World number one Kipp Popert was two shots further back in a share of seventh.
In the women’s event, Sräga and van Houten, 27, fought out a tight tussle over the final 18 holes with the German finally coming out on top.
Sräga, who came second in the women’s overall Championship last year on her debut, finished with a vital closing par while her rival made double bogey. Born with achondroplasia, commonly called short stature, Sräga’s two birdies on the front nine also proved key. Van Houten, who struggled with tiredness, was a shot further back with Denmark’s Mette Wegge Lynggaard in third place on 252.
The G4D Open featured nine sport classes across multiple impairment groups, with 80 men and women players of both amateur and professional status, aged 16-70, representing 25 countries. Nineteen players made their Championship debut, including Celtic Manor member Richie Willis.
A gross prize was also awarded in each sport class, covering various categories in Standing, Intellectual, Visual and Sitting.
The men’s gross prize winners were as follows:
- Intellectual 1: Simon Seungmin Lee, Republic of Korea
- Intellectual 2: Thomas Colombel, France
- Standing 1: Issa Nlareb A Amang, Cameroon
- Standing 2: Kipp Popert, England
- Standing 3: Lachlan Wood, Australia
- Sitting 1: Lee York, England
- Sitting 2: Max Togisala, USA
- Visual 2: Kiefer Jones, Canada
The women’s gross prize winners were as follows:
- Intellectual 1: Natasha Stasiuk, Canada
- Intellectual 2: Michelle Lau, England
- Standing 1: Mette Wegge Lynggaard, Denmark
- Standing 2: Aimi Bullock, England
- Standing 3: Jennifer Sräga, Germany
- Visual 1: Mette Havnaas, Norway
Final scores from the sport classes can be viewed here.
Daily highlights from the Championship are available now on The R&A’s YouTube channel, with highlights also set to air on Sky Sports Golf later this month.
The Roman Road staged three editions of the Wales Open on the DP World Tour from 2005-2007 while the Twenty Ten Course was being built for the Ryder Cup. It also played host to the Wales Senior Open in 2015 and 2016.
Player Quotes
Simon Seungmin Lee, Republic of Korea
“I’m feeling great. I wasn’t able to play in The G4D Open in previous years because of my domestic tournament schedule, so I’m really happy that the days worked out this year and I could finally come and compete here.
“The course was very tough and there were many outstanding competitors. So it’s a big honour for me to win such a great championship. My mother is also here so I’m happy.
“I was so surprised at the shot Issa made, an eagle on the 17th. Wow! I admire him. This is my second time coming back to the UK and my first time in Wales. I couldn’t imagine that one day I would finally return as a professional golfer and win a championship like this. Standing here today feels very special to me.”
Issa Nlareb A Amang, Cameroon
“I was unlucky the way I played this week. It was not my week. Today with the rain and the cold I couldn’t feel my fingers. I couldn’t feel my feet. I felt very cold on the golf course, but I tried to manage, and I was unlucky because I had a lot of putts near the hole or around it. I made a lot of three-putts, maybe 40 putts today.
“Even when I got the eagle two on the 17th I wanted to push on, but I couldn’t putt today. So that’s the game of golf. You can hit the ball far, but if your short game is not there you are in trouble. Simon was so solid, he didn’t miss any putts. He was playing so well with his putting.”
Jennifer Sräga, Germany
“It feels great. I came here with the aim to win because last year it was a little bit sad. This year I tried to stay strong, stay focused on the last hole. I’m really happy that this year I made it. I’m really proud because it means so much to me. It was my goal to have this thick, huge trophy in my hand. Now I’m happy that I can take it.
“It’s always a special win to achieve at The G4D Open and I love playing here. I’m really excited playing here because here we feel almost like true professionals. It’s really awesome.”
Daphne van Houten, Netherlands
“I’m disappointed to finish second but I have to be happy because I have had Long COVID for three years now and I’m struggling. I would have burst out in tears either way, if I won or lost, because it’s such a battle to play three rounds in a row. I should be happy with myself but I’m very frustrated because of the illness.
“Three years ago, it would have been a par for sure on the last but I knew I’m not playing well. But it’s an amazing venue and I’m so happy that I played.”
