We are learning further details that Polish-born powerhouse Adrian Meronk actually made-up his mind to join LIV Golf the very next day after being overlooked for 2023 European Ryder Cup team selection.
It was September 3rd, 2023 when European captain Luke Donald announced his full side for the showpiece event in Rome, and the Englishman revealed that day that he had spoken in private to Meronk ahead of the formal team announcement advising him that his name was not on his list of players he was taking to Rome.
Of course, Meronk did not hide his feelings when the team was announced and there were plenty surprised one of the more ‘qualified’ rookies had been left out the side having won the Australian Open in late 2022 and then in May, 2023 captured the Italian Open at Marco Simone, the very course that was set to host the Ryder Cup and ahead of eventually just falling shy of automatic team selection.
In the days after being overlooked, Meronk spoke publicly of his bitter disappointment, but the matter died before being reignited with the surprise announcement in December that Meronk had been named by his peers as their ‘2023 DP World Tour Player of the Year’.
However, it was just a few weeks later in mid January of this year that news broke that Meronk had signed with LIV, making his debut at the LIV season-opener in Mayakoba.
Speaking ahead of this week’s LIV event in Saudi Arabia, Meronk revealed that the genesis of the decision to join LIV came the very day after the Ryder Cup snub as he got on the phone to LIV Golf’s Richard Bland to get an idea what LIV Golf was like.
“To be honest, when I wasn’t picked for the Ryder Cup, something inside me switched and I kind of decided to focus on myself,” said Meronk speaking with Gulf News.
“One day after the announcement of the team, I reached out to Richard Bland to ask him how LIV Golf was and if he was enjoying it. Moving there was in the back of my mind then, but we didn’t have any offers or big plans. I was ready to go and play in the U.S.”
The four-time DP World Tour winner ended 2023 as the world No. 50th ranked player, so he’s assured to play in all four Major Championships in 2024, including The Masters for a second straight year.
Though the now Dubai-based Pole has not played a DP World Tour event since the opening two events of the new season in Dubai, he also spoke of a desire to compete in the new, end-of-the-year play-off DPWT events.
“I’d actually like to play two to three DP World Tour events at the end of the year once the LIV Golf calendar has finished to get some OWGR points,” Meronk said to Gulf News, though the golfer is likely to receive a fine and a suspension every time he plays a LIV Golf event that competes with a DP World Tour tournament, given he remains a member of the DPWT.
“It’s all a bit complicated right now with the fines, I don’t know the full details to be honest.”
Gulf News continues by saying that Meronk has his sights fully set on an impressive outing this week, with the Polish star playing a LIV Golf event fully fit for the first time this year after illness hampered his performance in the opening two events in Mexico and Las Vegas.
This will be his second outing at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club, having finished in a share of 27th at the 2020 Saudi International on the DP World Tour before his return in 2021 saw him test positive for covid, which led to him missing the event and spending 18 days in isolation.
This time around, there will be no lonely nights in a Jeddah hotel room. Instead, he’ll be busy in the evenings catching up with his new “family.”
“I’ve had such an amazing welcome from everyone, it’s like a big family,” said Meronk to Gulf News
“I would say around 80% of the players came up to me on my first day to congratulate me and welcome me. Our team spends a lot of time together and we try to travel together, which I really like.
“It’s very different from the DP World Tour, but I love being part of a team. There were many times before where I was travelling on my own, sitting in my hotel room ordering room service – it was just lonely.
“Here, LIV Golf’s staff and all the players feel like one big family.”
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