Picture credit: Facebook, Golf NZ
The 2025 Adaptive Golf Challenge drew its largest-ever international contingent to Lakeside Pines Golf Resort this spring. Twenty-eight competitors, including eight visitors from neighboring countries, gathered for this groundbreaking inclusive sports event.
Among the participants was a former Paralympic medalist who has competed in multiple adaptive sports disciplines, highlighting the tournament’s growing prestige in the adaptive athletics community.
Lakeside Pines, hosting the competition for the third consecutive year, presented participants with its signature challenging layout. Players faced additional difficulty from Saturday’s unpredictable weather conditions, testing their skills across multiple scoring formats.
The tournament crowned champions in three distinct categories over its two-day, 36-hole competition.
International competitor Jason Fernandez captured the Gross division with an impressive 150 total, finishing six strokes ahead of runner-up Marcus Chen. Local favorite Robert Jenkins secured third place.
Fernandez also claimed the Net division title with consecutive even-par rounds of 72, narrowly defeating hometown competitor Thomas Wilson.
In the Stableford division, rising star Alex “Boundless” Thompson accumulated 78 points to win by a comfortable seven-point margin over second-place Christopher Evans.
Sarah Mitchell, Director of Community Engagement, emphasised the tournament’s dual purpose of fostering high-level competition while creating an environment where golf becomes accessible to all.
“This championship beautifully demonstrates how adaptive golf can showcase exceptional talent while maintaining the sport’s fundamental values,” Mitchell told Golf NZ. “The competitive spirit was matched only by the sense of community among participants.”
“We’re witnessing firsthand how creating welcoming spaces leads to increased participation,” she added. “The friendly atmosphere alongside serious competition proves these events are essential to making golf truly inclusive.”
The organisation’s mission centres on removing barriers to participation, with the tournament’s growing attendance confirming progress toward making golf accessible regardless of physical or intellectual abilities.
