Adrian Meronk’s historic Horizon Irish Open victory has seen the Polish pioneer race into the top ten of the DP World Tour Rankings in partnership with Rolex.
The 29-year-old became the first Pole to win on the DP World Tour after turning a one stroke overnight lead into a three stroke victory over fast finishing New Zealander Ryan Fox at Mount Juliet Estate on Sunday.
Meronk banked €974,605 and 1000 points for his breakthrough victory. It came after six previous top-tens, and sees the first Pole to earn a DP World Tour card and qualify for a Major Championship (the 2021 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines) rise five places to seventh in the DP World Tour Rankings.
With three of those top-tens coming during the Middle East swing earlier in 2022, Meronk has shown a distinct liking for desert golf. That, and his elevated position in the season-long points race, will stand the Pole in good stead for the season-ending DP World Tour Championship where the top 50 in the Rankings will fight to become European No.1 at Jumeirah Golf Estates from November 17-20.
“I’m going to keep going forward. It’s another step for me,” said Meronk, who signed for a final round 66 to finish 20-under-par after Fox had set the clubhouse target at 17-under following a 64.
“…I’m excited I achieved it here in Ireland, such a great history, and I’m just super excited. I can’t describe it,” Meronk continued before putting some context around a run that has also included three top-tens in the month of May.
“It’s such a relief to be honest. I’ve been coming quite close a couple of times this year, and to finally open the door, it’s just a dream come true.”
After a seventh top ten of 2022 and his second runner-up finish at the Irish Open, big-hitting Kiwi Fox is on track to achieve his goal of winning the DP World Tour Rankings. In the form of his life, the reigning Ras Al Khaimah Classic champion is up three spots to fourth.
Will Zalatoris, Rory McIlroy and Matt Fitzpatrick maintain their grip on the top three places but Fox is now just 108.3 points behind U.S. Open champion Fitzpatrick and fewer than 350 points adrift of pole-sitter Zalatoris heading into this week’s Genesis Scottish Open.
Thriston Lawrence is another on the charge, up 13 places into tenth spot after his solo third-place finish at the Horizon Irish Open.
Elsewhere, Danish Betfred British Masters champion Thorbjørn Olesen is up six places to 16th in the rankings after his eighth place finish at the Horizon Irish Open, while Fabrizio Zanotti enjoyed an unforgettable Sunday in Thomastown, finishing tied fourth to secure one of the three 150th Open Championship spots available in Ireland as well as soaring 51 spots up the DP World Tour Rankings to 38th.
As Meronk, Fox and Lawrence had already qualified for the final Major of the year, Zanotti, Scotland’s David Law and American John Catlin gleefully snapped up the three slots for St Andrews with their share of fourth on 15-under.
Law has risen inside the top 50 to 47th – a leap of 61 places – while Catlin is up 78 places to 60th. There was also a significant 27-place jump for Spaniard Jorge Campillo who is also now inside the top-50 bubble in 44th place.
