CNN
—
By no means meet your idols, the saying goes. Strive 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 Twenty-four hours later, he was chatting away with the 15-time main champion for 9 holes of the legendary St. Andrews Outdated Course.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 a hundred and fiftieth version of the main.
Recognizing Woods on the placing inexperienced on the Monday, Meronk holed his image alternative, believing that one other likelihood can 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 observe 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 hitch, Meronk spent the remainder of the morning side-by-side with {golfing} royalty.
“That was most likely one in every of my childhood desires, so I acquired a number of messages from again house and that was very thrilling for me,” Meronk informed CNN’s Jasmine Sanders, AKA The Jazzy Golfer.
“I picked his mind just a little bit. He was very form to me, fairly talkative as properly, so I used to be fairly stunned.”
What would you ask your idol? For Meronk, it was necessary to start with competitors recommendation, particularly as Woods is a two-time Open champion at St. Andrews.
With the Open doubtlessly not returning to St. Andrews till 2030, hypothesis had been swirling that the a hundred and fiftieth version can 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 important focus throughout a punishing restoration course of.
“I began with some recommendation on the course, some strains and stuff like that,” Meronk recalled. “Some recommendation on how you can cope with 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 led to shifting scenes on the Friday as, having missed the minimize, 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.
“In all probability 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.”
In contrast to 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 sturdy rounds of 70 and 69 noticed him report 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 at all times a purpose of mine, at all times a dream,” Meronk stated. “To capable of do it in Eire, on the Irish Open, at such a historic occasion, it was a really nice feeling for me.
“I had an ideal season this 12 months, I used to be very shut a few occasions, so it was additionally such a reduction for me that I lastly obtained it carried out.”
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 this planet, Meronk’s finest ranked compatriot is Mateusz Gradecki at No. 341. After that, there’s at present no Polish golfer inside the highest 2,700.
“It did [feel historic],” Meronk stated. “Increasingly more persons are following me again in Poland but in addition all all over the world. There’s a number of Polish folks in all places.
“There was a number of Polish folks within the crowd congratulating me and I acquired a number of messages from again house, in order that was actually thrilling and in addition motivates me to go even additional.”
At 6ft 6 inches tall, Meronk makes use of golf equipment which might be longer and have totally 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 larger distances, he believes his peak presents a tradeoff within the quick recreation.
“I’ll most likely should catch different guys with accuracy,” he stated.
“I’ve to be engaged on that just a little bit extra, particularly across the inexperienced and quick recreation. So there are drawbacks as properly, however I feel I can hit just a little bit additional with the longer levers for certain.”
