Dubai-based Meronk wins on DP World Tour and moves upto 46th on the Official World Golf Ranking

Dubai based Adrian Meronk (Poland), who disappointingly missed out on a place in Europe’s triumphant Ryder Cup squad, said he was over the move after winning the $3.75 million Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucía Masters in Spain on Sunday.

The Polish player finished on 16 under to win the DP World Tour by one shot from Germany's Matti Schmid

at Real Club de Golf Sotogrande, San Roque, Andalucia.

England’s Richard Mansell was a shot further back in third after a tense final round played in changeable weather conditions and brought forward to earlier in the day due to the threat of storms.

Describing his feelings after the win, Meronk said: “Relieved, to be honest.‘It was a tough tournament, tough weather, didn’t have my best golf on the first day so to win the tournament is very special. I’m over the moon.”

Schmid did not produce the fireworks of his previous two rounds, having hit a five under-par 67 on Friday and topped it with 65 on Moving Day.

But after going out in level par he holed from nine feet for birdie at the tenth and chipped close at the 12th to set up another.

Meronk was two over for the first three holes but responded in style with an eagle at the sixth and holed out from 120 yards for another at the ninth to go out in 34.

A 42 foot birdie putt at the tenth took him within one of the lead held by Schmid and another long eagle attempt at the 12th went close to set up a tap-in birdie.

The German dropped a shot at the 13th but responded by matching Meronk’s birdie at the next to keep his nose in front.

The Pole’s nerveless birdie at the 17th put the pressure on Schmid, who missed his par putt back on 16 as the lead swung to Meronk.

Schmid parred the par-three 17th and was left needing a birdie at the last, where Meronk made par to finish 16 under.

The German was just unable to hole a 40 foot birdie putt on the last, which would have forced a play-off, leaving Meronk to celebrate.

“I didn’t get off to a hot start, I was trying to talk to myself, stay positive,” said Schmid. “I was hitting good shots on the range in the morning so I knew I had the game.

“The eagle on the sixth gave me some momentum and then I believed and stayed super focused until the last putt, which I’m very proud of.”

Mansell, playing with Meronk, eagled the sixth after hitting a magnificent second shot to four feet, and another superb approach to the tenth set up birdie before he added another at the 12th.

He three-putted the 17th for an untimely first bogey of the day before a closing par left him on his own in third. Chase Hanna finished 13 under, in the process securing his DP World Tour card for next season.

The American shared fourth place with Louis de Jager. Jeff Winther was 12 under with Marcel Siem and Jeong weon Ko a shot further back, the latter putting himself in position for a 2024 card in the process.

Defending champion Adrian Otaegui, playing in the final group with Schmid and Winther, finished tied for ninth on 10 under.

Meronk now moves upto third in the 2023 Race to Dubai Rankings behind Rory McIlroy (NI) and Jon Rahm (Spain). Meronk has now won four times on the DP World Tour and three times this season – at the ISPS HANDA Australian Open, DS Automobiles Italian Open and todays event.

After the DP World Tour Championship the top 10 players on the DP World Tour, who do not already have their 2023 – 2024 PGA Tour Cards get their PGA Tour status. The number one qualifier receives exemption from re-shuffle on the PGA Tour Rankings and automatic exemption to The Players Championship as well the Charles Schwab Challenge.

Meronk will fly to Dubai tonight for a week’s rest before playing in the Nedbank Golf Challenge before returning to Dubai to play in the season ending $10 million DP World Tour Championship, Dubai at Jumeirah Golf Estates, arguably his home course in Dubai.

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