It is near enough to 10 months since Adrian Meronk last competed in a regular DP World Tour (DPWT) event when the Polish golfer tees-up in next week’s Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.
Meronk last competed on the DPWT about an hour’s drive north of Abu Dhabi when the now 31-year-old finished a gallant runner-up to Rory McIlroy at Hero Dubai Desert Classic.
After a stiring 2023 season the giant, blond-haired Meronk had kick-started 2024 still creating a name for himself.
The Pole had been treading water for a few years on the secondary Challenge Tour before he finally broke onto the DP World Tour in 2020 though it took this 6-foot 6-inch tall golfer till mid 2022 to really stand tall and he did so magnificently winning five events in the space of some 15 months from July 2022 to October 2023.
ENDING A 10-MONTH DPWT ABSENCE …
And with power @AdrianMeronk teeing-up next week’s @ADGolfChamps @YasLinksGC & eyeing hopeful eventual ‘automatic’ @RyderCupEurope selection
Read: https://t.co/LczICHAOY5
✅ @TOURMISS pic.twitter.com/QNNVmcJ3rs
— Golf & Science News (@TOURMISS) October 30, 2024
Of course, there was the controversy of him being overlooked for a wildcard pick for the 2023 European Ryder Cup side and with Meronk using that hurt some two weeks post the Ryder Cup to capture the Estrella Damm Andalucia Masters.
But there was the golfing bombshell just a few weeks after his second place finish in Dubai that’s when the then World No. 39 joined Jon Rahm and Tyrrell in signing for LIV.
Meronk is now residing in Dubai and he has again spoken to Gulf News with his comments on teeing-up next week in the UAE capital catching the interest of GolfByTourMiss
Though Golf News writes that after concluding the LIV Golf season last month, Meronk had originally planned to return to the DP World Tour at the Andalucía Masters, where he was set to defend his title though, he opted to skip the event, feeling his game wasn’t where he wanted it to be following his split with long-time coach Matthew Tipper earlier this year.
Now working with Jerome Theunis, who also coaches Thomas Detry, Meronk is set to rejoin golf’s global circuit at next week’s Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.
“Jerome can take my game to the next level, for sure,” said Meronk to Golf News.
“We’ve already made some small changes, and I feel much better and a lot more confident.
“The last two tournaments on LIV Golf, I didn’t really enjoy my game, I was kind of just getting through the rounds, wasn’t playing my A game and was in the middle of changing coaches as well.
“Initially I was going to defend in Sotogrande, but I decided it was better to skip and work on my game.
“I would have liked to have been there as I love the place and the people, but I think I made the right decision to come back to the UAE earlier to put the work in ahead of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship and DP World Tour Championship.”
Despite picking up fines and suspensions from the DP World Tour for competing in LIV Golf events, Meronk can play at the DP World Tour Play-Offs as he has appealed the sanctions against him.
The present OWGR World No. 96 will hold onto his DPWT card and hopefully return to the 2025 Hero Dubai Desert Classic plus also emain eligible for Ryder Cup selection.
And Golf News concludes this great interview with Meronk and while admits that qualifying for the Ryder Cup isn’t his top goal for 2025, he still hopes to make the team, but has yet to discuss his prospects with Donald, who will lead the European side again in New York next year.
“I think my manager may have spoken to him at Wentworth, but I’ve not personally spoken to him about anything,” said Meronk.
“Sergio, Rahm, Hatton – there’s a lot of players on LIV who want to be involved, so he probably knows I am up for it if I am playing well.
“I believe if I play well, I can make it.”
* With thanks to Gulf News
