When Adrian Meronk met Tiger Woods

Muricas News  — 

By no means meet your idols, the saying goes. Attempt telling that to Adrian Meronk.

On the Open Championship in July, the Polish golfer tracked down Tiger Woods for a photograph. Twenty-four hours later, he was chatting away with the 15-time main champion for 9 holes of the legendary St. Andrews Outdated Course.

The very fact Meronk was even on the identical event as his childhood hero was itself a pinch-me second. Simply two weeks prior on the Irish Open, the 29-year-old had made historical past as the primary Pole to win on the DP World Tour, stamping his maiden ticket to the one hundred and fiftieth version of the key.

Recognizing Woods on the placing inexperienced on the Monday, Meronk holed his image alternative, believing that one other probability could be unlikely to come up as soon as the competitors started Thursday.

Think about his shock then when, strolling on to the tenth tee for his follow spherical at 8:45am the next morning, he noticed none aside from a lone Woods, readying his opening drive. After asking him if it was okay to affix, Meronk spent the remainder of the morning side-by-side with golfing royalty.

“That was in all probability one in all my childhood desires, so I acquired lots of messages from again house and that was very thrilling for me,” Meronk instructed Muricas News’s Jasmine Sanders, AKA The Jazzy Golfer.

“I picked his mind slightly bit. He was very form to me, fairly talkative as effectively, so I used to be fairly shocked.”

What would you ask your idol? For Meronk, it was essential to start with competitors recommendation, particularly as Woods is a two-time Open champion at St. Andrews.

With the Open probably not returning to St. Andrews till 2030, hypothesis had been swirling that the one hundred and fiftieth version could be Woods’ final on the Scottish venue, particularly given his bodily struggles.

The 46-year-old had made a exceptional comeback to the game following accidents sustained in a automobile accident in 2021, with returning to St. Andrews his major focus throughout a punishing restoration course of.

“I began with some recommendation on the course, some traces and stuff like that,” Meronk recalled. “Some recommendation on how you can take care of placing when it’s actually windy.

“Then he was telling me about his first Open at St. Andrews, as a result of he requested me if that was my first Open.

“I requested him how he was feeling, how is his well being and stuff like that, simply informal stuff. He was very open.”

The legendary golfer’s event resulted in transferring scenes on the Friday as, having missed the lower, a tearful Woods was serenaded down the 18th fairway by a heaving St. Andrews crowd. For Meronk, it was an ovation match for the best of all time.

“Most likely to many of the guys right here he was the idol and nonetheless is to be sincere,” he stated. “With what he has achieved, I’d say he's the best in our sport for certain.”

Not like Woods, Morenk’s time in St. Andrews went the gap. Enduring a nightmare three-over 75 begin, the Pole roared again with a formidable 68 to make it to the weekend, the place two robust rounds of 70 and 69 noticed him document a strong forty second place end on his Open debut.

It marked the newest spotlight of a wonderful season for Meronk, his finest on the DP World Tour since turning skilled in 2016. After three-runner up finishes amongst a string of top-10 placings, the Pole emphatically laid his near-misses to relaxation with a three-shot victory in Kilkenny, Eire.

“To have the ability to win on the DP World Tour was all the time a objective of mine, all the time a dream,” Meronk stated. “To in a position to do it in Eire, on the Irish Open, at such a historic occasion, it was a really nice feeling for me.

“I had a fantastic season this 12 months, I used to be very shut a few occasions, so it was additionally such a aid for me that I lastly bought it completed.”

In addition to writing a winner’s earnings examine for over €974,000 ($947,690), the triumph additionally penned Meronk into the historical past books because the Tour’s first-ever champion from Poland, a rustic not famed for its golfing prowess.

Comfortably Poland’s highest ranked golfer at sixty fourth on the planet, Meronk’s finest ranked compatriot is Mateusz Gradecki at No. 341. After that, there may be presently no Polish golfer inside the highest 2,700.

“It did [feel historic],” Meronk stated. “An increasing number of persons are following me again in Poland but in addition all world wide. There’s lots of Polish individuals in every single place.

“There was lots of Polish individuals within the crowd congratulating me and I acquired lots of messages from again house, in order that was actually thrilling and likewise motivates me to go even additional.”

At 6ft 6 inches tall, Meronk makes use of golf equipment which are longer and have completely different lie angles to accommodate his towering body. To counterbalance his pure bend over the ball, Meronk repeats a rigorous posture drill 5 occasions earlier than every session. Whereas his longer levers enable him to drive the ball better distances, he believes his top presents a tradeoff within the quick sport.

“I’ll in all probability need to catch different guys with accuracy,” he stated.

“I've to be engaged on that slightly bit extra, particularly across the inexperienced and quick sport. So there are drawbacks as effectively, however I feel I can hit slightly bit additional with the longer levers for certain.”