Poland's Adrian Meronk Continuing to Make a Name for Himself, Eyes Ryder Cup Spot Next

A high finish this week at Oak Hill could go a long way toward securing a spot on Team Europe later this year.

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Adrian Meronk will complete his personal career grand slam on Thursday, when the tall and lean professional from Poland plays in his first PGA Championship and fourth career major.

His success in his previous three majors has been spotty at best, missing the cut at the 2021 U.S. Open at The Country Club and at this year’s Masters Tournament.

The British Open at the Old Course at St. Andrews last year was a little different for Meronk and after a second round 68, his fortunes changed as the 6-foot-6-inch professional made his first major cut and finished T42.

Now, after his third win on the DP World Tour in the Italian Open just two weeks ago, the man from Wroclaw, in the southwest part of Poland, is ready to accomplish something better than a T42.

“The game feels nice,” Meronk said after a week at home in Wroclaw, just 180 miles from Prague. “I just want to go out there and play my best golf. Not to expect anything, to be honest, just play my best golf and see how well I can play.”

Over the last year, the 29-year-old as found his game starting to round into shape.

A win at last year’s Irish Open made Meronk the first winner from Poland on the DP World Tour and then just six months later, Meronk followed it up with a victory in the ISPS HANDA Australian Open in December last year.

The third career win came in the Italian Open at Marco Simone in the beginning of May and with the Ryder Cup just four months away at the same venue, ranked fourth in the Race to Dubai, sixth in the European Ryder Cup points list and ranked 47th in the world (the 11th highest European), Meronk is making a name for himself and it’s no longer a surprise when his name finds a spot on the leaderboard.

Yet, with all the recent success for the Pole, he now must make some positive movement in the four majors.

“I think the key will be hitting the fairways, so the tee shots will be the key,” Meronk said of how he must play Oak Hill successfully. “And then if you miss the green, just miss on the correct side. Because if you're short-sided, it's going to be almost impossible to get up and down since the rough is really brutal.”

In Meronk’s eyes, the original East Course, a Donald Ross design which has been spruced up by Andrew Green in 2020, looks like Marco Simone and will require a similar plan of attack, find the fairways, and use his solid short game when he misses the greens.

Another part of his plan as the tournament matures is to be aggressive, which is what you do generally if coming from behind.

Oddly, in his three DP tour wins, Meronk has been the 54-hole leader each time, but admits he likes chasing others down and does not like the position of leader.

Still, Meronk feels playing aggressive is his best chance to win.

“When I'm leading sometimes, I get a little bit too cautious and playing too safe and hitting safe shots,” Meronk said. “But I like catching guys from behind.”

Winning in Italy has made one of Meronk’s goals, playing on the European Ryder Cup team, so close.

This week could cement his position on a European team that will look considerably different with players relatively unknown to the public.

But Meronk knows that the public is not who he is trying to impress, it's just one guy, European Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald and the Pole believes he has made a substantial statement that Donald must have heard.

“I think it's a strong statement, winning at the venue and playing my best golf,” Meronk said of his victory in Italy. I really liked the place. But it's quite long time, so I just want to focus on my game, keep playing well, if I if I keep playing like that, I think I'm sure I should be on the team. But I just don't want to go ahead of myself.”