Opening Golf to the World
The G4D Open
Simon Seungmin Lee and Jennifer Sräga savour G4D Open victories at Celtic Manor
16 May 26
6 mins
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. 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 with The R&A and the DP World Tour 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.
Simon Seungmin Lee from the Republic of Korea won the 2026 G4D Open on the final hole at Celtic Manor.
G4D Open debut for Lee
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. “I'm feeling great,” said Lee. “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.” Nlareb A Amang pulled to within a stroke of Lee after a brilliant 40-yard chip-in for eagle at the par fourth 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. He said, “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.
Issa Nlareb A Amang celebrates chipping in for an eagle on the 17th.
“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.”
Lee added, “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.”
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. Lachlan Wood from Australia was third on nine-over, with world number one Kipp Popert finishing in a share of seventh.
Redemption for Sräga
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.
Jennifer Sräga celebrates with The G4D Open trophy.
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.
Sräga said, “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.”
Van Houten added, “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.”
The sport class winners at The G4D Open in Wales.
Winners from nine sport classes
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
- 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