Max Togisala Makes History: Three-Time Champion Shares Tournament Highlights for Adaptive Golf Success

Woodmont Country Club's challenging layout had tested golfers all week, but Max Togisala approached each hole with the composure that comes from years of competitive preparation. 

Just three years after a skiing accident left him paralyzed from the waist down, Max made history at the USGA Adaptive Open this summer. With his wife and family cheering him on, he became the first golfer to win three consecutive championships in the seated players category while setting a new tournament record. This was another opportunity to prove that adaptive golf belongs at the highest competitive levels.

His story demonstrates that with the right mindset and preparation, extraordinary achievements are possible.

Breaking Records and Expectations

Max entered this year's USGA Adaptive Open as a two-time champion. But he wasn't content to simply defend his title.

"I wasn't really thinking about winning my category," Max explains. "I was trying to potentially win the whole tournament."

In his first round, Max fired a 67, breaking his own record for the lowest round in the wheelchair category at this tournament.

"I won that by three shots this year," Max reflects on that career-defining round.

Max's third victory in the USGA Adaptive Open's seated players category shows consistency that's rare in any sport. And it established him as one of the most dominant forces in competitive adaptive golf.

Mental Game Mastery Under Pressure

Winning one championship shows talent. Winning three straight demands mental toughness that separates good golfers from great ones. Max's approach to tournament preparation changed coming into this tournament.

"I was definitely thinking about this year a little bit more than the years before," Max admits. "I just really wanted to win again. So, I played in a lot more tournaments before this to practice the butterflies off the first tee and stuff like that because that really does matter."

Max learned to manage the unique pressures of tournament golf. When crucial moments arose during the championship, he was ready.

"During the first round, I had a moment where I hit a bad shot and was frustrated after the hole, but going into the following hole, I tried to forget everything that just happened and just focus on the one shot that I had right there," Max explains.

Max was able to stay present. 

"And I felt comfortable coming into this tournament because I was already prepared for it. And I've done this many times."

Equipment as an Extension of Skill

Even the best mental preparation can get you so far without equipment that performs when it matters most. 

The Woodmont Country Club course presented unique challenges that tested both golfer and equipment.

"I wouldn't have won the tournament without the VertaCat," Max states simply. "There were some bunkers that I don't think I would have got into. And I was kind of worried about going into, but the VertaCat did great, honestly."

This reliability allowed Max to focus entirely on his game. When championship moments arrived, his mobility solution performed for him, enabling the precise positioning and stability needed for record-breaking golf.

Your equipment should enhance your abilities, never limit them.

Inspiring the Next Generation of Champions

Max's impact at the USGA Adaptive Open was way more than his win. 

"I had a lot of people actually come up to me and just say that they have loved my social media, and how I've inspired them," Max remembers. "I had a couple of volunteers come up to me telling me that. And I thought it was just pretty cool that I can connect with these people in person."

While records and titles matter, the effect of his success reaches adaptive golfers everywhere who are learning what's possible.

Max shows no signs of slowing down. With tournaments in Phoenix and Minnesota on his schedule, plus a growing focus on social media outreach, he's ready to share his message with even more people.

And: "I’m always going to be looking at that fourth championship," he says with determination.

His most powerful message, though, comes when reflecting on the tournament's broader meaning.

"The US adaptive open is a great testament of just never giving up and showing that everyone can play golf and we can all have fun whether it's a disability or not. So we're all out there inspiring, and I think that was my goal as well for this tournament—have people see that and get out golfing and have fun."