Adrian Meronk was snubbed.
On Monday, European Captain Luke Donald overlooked the 30-year-old Pole as he finalized his team for the Ryder Cup.
Instead of Meronk, Donald opted for two young, rising stars: Ludvig Aberg of Sweden and Nicholai Højgaard of Denmark.
Yet, Meronk leads the DP World Tour in strokes gained off the tee and sits in third place behind Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm in the Race to Dubai rankings.
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The Race to Dubai is the DP World Tour’s equivalent of the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup.
McIlroy and Rahm are part-time DP World Tour members too. The two superstars play in a handful of DP World Tour tournaments annually, often in only the biggest events in the Middle East and the British Isles.
Rahm also plays in the Spanish Open every year.
So, when considering this, Meronk ranks higher than any other full-time DP World Tour member in the season-long standings, but he will not represent his continent and country in the Ryder Cup.
Meronk would have been the first Polish player to compete in the biennial competition.
Even more inexplicable to Meronk’s snub is that he won the 2023 DS Automobiles Italian Open at Marco Simone Golf Club in Rome.
Marco Simone is hosting the Ryder Cup.
But his win in Italy was not a one-hit wonder.
Meronk won the 2022 ISPS Handa Australian Open by five shots over Adam Scott last December. He also won the 2022 Irish Open, which was held at Mount Juliet in County Kilkenny two weeks before Cameron Smith won The Open at St. Andrews.
Sure, Meronk missed the cut at two of the four majors this year, but he recorded a top-25 finish at Royal Liverpool, where Brian Harman won his first major championship.
Yet, after the European team was revealed, Meronk, who played collegiately at East Tennessee State, showed remarkable class on social media.
“Good luck,” Meronk posted.
But for Meronk to demonstrate this high level of class—and not express frustration—speaks to his tremendous character.
He also received the support of many other touring professionals, including former Ryder Cup Captain Ian Woosnam:
@AdrianMeronk
You would of been in my team there only one way to prove people wrong go out there and win a major— Ian Woosnam (@IWoosnam) September 5, 2023
I’ve been watching Adrian Meronk this last year
a young man who had improved over the last few years he’s is a wonderfully player
I’m very sad to see he’s missed a captains pick
3 tournaments wins in last 16th months
and a Winner at the Ryder cup venue ♂️— Ian Woosnam (@IWoosnam) September 5, 2023
Richard Bland, a fellow European player who now plays for LIV Golf, also weighed in:
Bland went as far as to say that Meronk should have made the team over Irishman Shane Lowry, who, like Justin Thomas, has not had a memorable season in 2023.
Others also felt strongly about Meronk’s omission from the team, including Lee Westwood and Paul Goydos.
Just got in from playing golf at @CloseHouseGolf and catching up with all the “experts “ opinions on here. I’d just say that 3rd on the @DPWorldTour points list, 1st and 2nd in 2 outings at the RC venue. @AdrianMeronk should consider himself unlucky to not get picked.
— Lee Westwood (@WestwoodLee) September 4, 2023
@AdrianMeronk not making the European Ryder Cup is a crime. He’s 3rd on the race to Dubai and he won on the course that hosting.
— Paul Goydos (@PaulGoydosPGA) September 4, 2023
Do you think Meronk should have made the team? Let us know in the comments below.
Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko for more golf coverage. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough too.
