2025 Chicago Adaptive Open

Nashville's Ford Martin claimed the Overall crown with a birdie on the first playoff hole of the 2nd Chicago Adaptive Open.

2nd Chicago Adaptive Open
June 21-22 • Fox Bend Golf Course (Oswego)

Day Two: Sunday, June 22

MARTIN OVERPOWERS 18TH HOLE IN PLAYOFF TO EARN CHICAGO ADAPTIVE OPEN TITLE
OSWEGO, Ill. - Ford Martin (Nashville, Tenn. / Neurological & Coordination Impairment) was worried about where he could shower before his evening flight home at the conclusion of the 2nd Chicago Adaptive Open presented by Illinois Bone & Joint Institute.

That was solved on Fox Bend Golf Course’s 18th green.

Fellow competitors Jonathan Snyder (Westmont / Arm Impairment - Assisted) and Tracy Ramin (Montrose, Mich. / Arm & Leg Impairment) doused Ford with water bottles after he claimed the Overall title with a birdie on the first hole of a sudden death playoff with Victor Postillion (Winfield, Ill. / Leg Impairment Above the Knee) on Sunday.

“I’m all set!” Ford exclaimed.

Related Links: (Results) / (Photo Gallery) / (Ford Martin Interview) / (Ryanne Jackson Interview) / (Live Stream Replay)

The 32-year-old who was born with a neurogenic clubfoot finished the 36-hole event at 2-over par following rounds of 73 and 73, tied with Postillion. The duo returned to the tee of the par-5 18th, a 490-yard par 5 that features a creek crossing at roughly 250 yards. Postillion laid up. Ford turned to what he calls his “superpower.”

“I’ve gone for it over the creek all week,” Ford said. “I was practicing hitting 5-irons on the range before the playoff, because that’s what I had in during regulation. I guess I was a little amped up.”

Instead of 5-iron, it was a pitching wedge in for Ford after he bombed a sensational 340-yard drive almost precisely to the 150-yard stake. His approach was strategically left short of the front hole location while Postillion found himself well over the green in four strokes. Ford “texas wedged” his third up near the hole and was conceded the win by Postillion.

The youngest of seven children, Ford’s birth defect led to many underestimating his athletic prowess. He excelled in lacrosse during high school in Maryland and eventually turned to golf, winning the club championship at Congressional Country Club.

It wasn’t until last year that Martin went through the World Ranking for Golfers with Disability (WR4GD) Certification process that allowed him to compete in adaptive golf events. He played in last year’s U.S. Adaptive Open and won the Arizona Adaptive Open before eagerly making his Chicago Adaptive Open debut this year. Expectations met.

“Everybody here has been great,” Martin said. “It feels like a major.”

Elsewhere, Ryanne Jackson (Madeira Beach, Fla. / Neurological & Coordination Impairment) returned once again to the Land of Lincoln to claim the Overall Women’s title. Jackson, a graduate of Eastern Illinois and the 2024 Chicago Adaptive Overall Women’s victor, followed an opening-round 82 on Saturday with a final-round 81. After a rocky start on Sunday, she notched back-to-back birdies on Nos. 7 and 8 before another red figure on the par-3 15th.

“I was just playing against myself and the course - it was a really tough mental battle for me out there today, especially the first seven holes,” said Jackson, 27, who suffers from MS and has weakened legs and shoulders. “It was nice to calm down and finish and put up a round I’m proud of.”

Following her victory last summer at Cog Hill, Jackson, an assistant golf coach at Western Michigan, welcomed the opportunity to attempt - and successfully - defend her title at Fox Bend.

“I said last year, I love Illinois,” she said. “Any reason I can come back here, I’m always excited to take up that opportunity. I’m not from here, but it does feel like winning in a home state, almost, because I feel so connected [to it].”

Rounding out the triumvirate of Overall titleholders was Mark Sissom (Scott City, Mo. / Leg Impairment Above the Knee), whose rounds of 79-78 placed him at +13 overall and at the top of the Overall Senior division. The 58-year-old entered this weekend’s event fresh off the heels of a win in the Lower Limb Senior Division of the We Can Golf 2 Adaptive Championship in St. Augustine, Florida late last month.

In total, the $30,000 purse was distributed accordingly amongst men and women competing in 15 different Sports Classifications. Additionally, WR4GD points were distributed following play on Sunday.

The CDGA’s summer schedule continues quickly, with the 105th CDGA Amateur Championship, the Association’s oldest event, slated for June 23-26 at Briarwood Country Club in Deerfield.

Day One: Saturday, June 21

NLAREB AMANG LEADS HALFWAY THROUGH CHICAGO ADAPTIVE OPEN
OSWEGO, Ill - Issa Nlareb Amang (France / Arm & Leg Impairment), a Cameroon native who now lives in France, was one of the first competitors to arrive for the 2nd Chicago Adaptive Open presented by Illinois Bone & Joint Institute, hitting the range at Fox Bend Golf Course Wednesday morning in advance of Saturday’s first round.

Another round like his 1-under 71 Saturday, and he’ll likely be first on the Chicago Adaptive Open leaderboard.

Related Links: (Results) / (Photo Gallery) / (Live Stream Replay) / (Second Round Tee Times)

“For me, it was very important to come early, because with the prosthetics it's very important to get rest before starting the tournaments,” said Nlareb Amang, 34.

Nlareb Amang was an aspiring professional on the Alps Tour in 2018 when he contracted bacterial meningitis while competing in a tournament in Egypt. The illness threatened his life and ultimately resulted in the amputation of both legs and eight fingers. He eventually took the game back up as an adaptive golfer, making his first trip to the United States in 2024 for the U.S. Adaptive Open. His inspiring story and skillful game have quickly made him adored and successful in the adaptive golf community, as he claimed the Overall Men’s title in the Golf Association of Philadelphia’s Adaptive Open in 2024.

“My game improved because of the new system,” Nlareb Amang said. “It was my first time last year in America. I have played in a couple of tournaments now, so I know how things work.”

Nlareb Amang was the only one of the nearly 80 competitors with disabilities to card an under-par round, as hot and gusty conditions challenged the leader and his competitors.

“I’m happy with my score, but it was not easy,” Nlareb Amang admitted after five birdies, two bogeys and a double bogey.

Two competitors finished within two strokes of Nlareb Amang, as Victor Postillion (Winfield, Ill. / Leg Impairment Above the Knee) and Ford Martin (Nashville, Tenn. / Neurological & Coordination Impairment) both grinded to 1-over 73s.

Postillion, the son of noted women’s amateur golfer Kerry Postillion, played golf at Hinsdale Central High School and his freshman season at DePaul before being diagnosed with bone cancer. He ultimately needed to have his sciatic nerve cut in 2014 as part of his treatment and made his debut on the adaptive golf scene in 2024. He calls his hometown event “the big one” and was pleased with his first-round performance.

“I will take that in this wind,” Postillion said of his 73. “There were a few putts I left out there today, but I had some good bounces as well. So all in all, a good day.”

Martin grew up in Maryland and won the men’s club championship at Congressional Country Club before making his adaptive golf debut in the 2024 U.S. Adaptive Open. The feedback regarding the inaugural Chicago Adaptive Open from his peers was so positive that Martin made sure to slot this event in on his busy 2025 campaign.

“I heard nothing but great things about the event last year and that’s how it has been so far,” Martin said.

Play will come to a conclusion following Sunday’s second round. Overall Men’s, Overall Women’s and Overall Senior champions will be crowned, in addition to winners in 15 different Sports Classifications. Play will begin at 8 a.m., with live stream coverage of the final groups starting as they make the turn around noon.

Preview

Following a successful inaugural championship in 2024, the CDGA will conduct the 2025 Chicago Adaptive Open, June 21-22 at Fox Bend Golf Course in Oswego. The world’s best golfers with physical and intellectual disabilities will vie for a purse of $30,000 over 36 holes of competition.

Players in the event will compete across 15 different Sports Classifications based on their disability. Categories include lower limb impairments, visual impairments, short in stature and intellectual disabilities. World Ranking for Golfers with Disability (WR4GD) points will also be awarded.

As announced in mid-May, both days of the Chicago Adaptive Open will again be live-streamed in partnership with College Golf Network this season.

Round 1 Live-Stream Stream | Round 2 Live-Stream Stream

Schedule of Events

Friday, June 20
New in 2025, the Chicago Adaptive Open will be presented by the Illinois Bone and Joint Institute. This year's event will also feature a charity pro-am/practice round at Fox Bend Golf Course. The schedule for the event will be as follows:

11:30 a.m.: Driving range open, lunch available
1:00 p.m.: Shotgun start
5:30 p.m.: Post-round cookout and reception

Saturday, June 21

First Round
Post-Round Reception at Fox Bend Golf Course

Sunday, June 22

Final Round
Post-Round Reception & Celebration for Players, Family & Friends, USGA Officials, CDGA Rules Officials, Blue Coats & Staff at Fox Bend Golf Course
Awards and Check Presentations

WR4GD Certification

The WR4GD Certification is a process that the game of golf uses to confirm that an individual has an impairment that severely affects their ability to play. There are three different types of passes an individual with a disability can apply for that can allow them to participate in different events. The WR4GD pass ensures that a qualified individual is eligible to participate in any adaptive golf event.

CLICK HERE for more information.

Contact

If you have any questions regarding this event, please contact the CDGA's Tim Robinson at trobinson@cdga.org or (630) 685-2351.

Chicago Adaptive Open Policies