The 2026 U.S. Adaptive Open at Woodmont Country Club brought together five VertaCat athletes: Max Togisala, Ben Hulin, Thomas Duffy, Trevor Kennison, and Mike Nicholson.
Each one had a different week on the course, and together their stories say something bigger about where this sport stands right now.
Max Togisala entered Woodmont carrying the weight of a multi-year legacy. He has won every seated division title since 2023, and his 2026 win made it four in a row.
"The competition this year was really tough, a lot of good players," he continued. "In the seated category, the players are getting a lot better, and it motivates me to keep practicing."
Togisala sees that growth as part of what makes the division worth defending. "Every year there are new players and new stories to share to inspire those around," he said.
He isn't slowing down anytime soon, competing in the Minnesota Adaptive Open, followed by the United States Seated Golfers Championship in Arizona.
"I am super excited about the all-seated tournament because we all get to play with each other and see each other's game," he said.
Ben Hulin earned his way back to Woodmont for a second year, posting the lowest seated qualifying score at his Texas site to punch his ticket.
"Last year was my first year qualifying for the Open. This year it was great to be back," he said. "Woodmont and the USGA did a great job hosting and making us feel like the adaptive golfers we are. It is an accomplishment to get there, and they do a good job at making us feel welcome and feel like we accomplished something to actually be there."
Hulin knows how quickly this course can turn on a golfer. The 2025 event brought a few tough days for him—2026 followed a similar pattern.
He came in off a strong qualifying round, but his opening day left him near the back of the field, and the second day only partly turned things around. He missed the cut, but stayed focused on what came next. "I will work on being back in the mix," he said.
His schedule stays just as packed. "I play a lot and practice a lot," he said. He'll play the Minnesota Adaptive Open next, followed byUnited States Seated Golfers Championship in Arizona and the Palmetto Adaptive Open, where he has placed first in the seated division the past two years.
"Hard work pays off," he said. "You will have bad days on the course and bad days in life. It is how you respond."
One of the new faces this year, Trevor Kennison made his U.S. Adaptive Open debut after qualifying at Oakmont Country Club.
He was paralyzed from the waist down in a 2014 snowboarding accident near Vail, Colorado, and has since built a career pushing limits in adaptive action sports, including becoming the first adaptive athlete to land the X Games Big Air jump in 2022. Now, golf is another passion.
Kennison faced Hulin during qualifying in Texas and saw firsthand what it took to get him to Woodmont. "It was good to see Trevor get in and see his hard work pay off, as he has just started getting into the game," Hulin said.
Getting to the first tee at Woodmont was new pressure. His family, including his girlfriend, parents and stepmom, walked every hole with him and watched with visible nerves as he adjusted to his first national championship.
He competed alongside golfers from three other impairment categories during his rounds, one of several newcomers taking on this level of competition for the first time.
Thomas Duffy arrived at Woodmont with a long history in the sport.
He started playing golf at eight, alongside his dad on weekends. Later, a virus called Transverse Myelitis attacked his spinal cord and left him wheelchair-bound.
He kept playing anyway, competing through high school with a specialized adaptive cart before switching to the VertaCat.
"The VertaCat became my preferred choice because it allows me to load the golf cart into my truck, giving me the freedom to play wherever I want," he said.
Duffy felt the caliber of competition the moment he arrived at Woodmont. "The USGA Adaptive Open is an incredible experience," he said. "It's the pinnacle of adaptive golf events, and participants are treated like professionals."
"On the course, the VertaCat significantly enhances my ability to tee the ball up more easily and make precise adjustments to my shots, putting, and other small details," he said.
Duffy has a message for anyone wondering if adaptive golf is for them.
"I want to assure you that there are options available for everyone," he said. "The Adaptive Open showcases the diverse ways individuals have adapted to play the game they love."
Mike Nicholson also returned to Woodmont this year.
The Marine veteran lost both legs and his left arm in Afghanistan, and after a year of borrowing adaptive equipment from course to course, he secured a VertaCat of his own through the VA's approved vendor program.
This year's tournament marked his first trip back to the Washington, D.C. area since he spent nearly two years recovering from his injuries at Walter Reed Medical Center, just five miles from Woodmont Country Club.
"Golf probably saved my life," he said. "I don't know what would happen if I didn't do it."
Owning a VertaCat made a real difference. "It's nice to have one of your own that's already paid off, and it's yours," he said.
He's also watched what visibility on the course can do for people. "These able-bodied guys see someone who uses an assisted device and think about their own cousin or brother who might want to play too," he said. "Just having that exposure and availability would help so many guys out."
Each of these golfers took a different road to Woodmont, but all five found the same community waiting for them once they got there, and that community has room for the next person ready to join it.