Adrian Meronk is relishing the chance to demonstrate the progress he has made on the world stage as he prepares to make more golfing history this week at the Masters Tournament.
The 29-year-old entered the record books as the first Pole to win on the DP World Tour at the Horizon Irish Open last year and followed it up with a second victory early in the 2023 season at the ISPS Handa Australian Open in December.
After top-ten finishes in Abu Dhabi and Ras Al Khaimah, part of a start to the calendar year that also saw him hole the winning putt for Continental Europe at the Hero Cup, he has since registered top-20s in two of his last three PGA TOUR starts.
Last month, Ryder Cup hopeful Meronk made history as the first Pole to play at the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play and will now take his place in the 88-player field at Augusta National this week.
History maker 🙌@AdrianMeronk becomes the first Polish player to play at @TheMasters 🇵🇱#TheMasters pic.twitter.com/tM6kpBeJna
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) April 4, 2023
“It’s exciting,” he said. “Playing the Masters is truly special. I’m very proud and happy to be here. Hopefully I’ll have my A game and we’ll go from there.”
Meronk is one of 16 Masters debutants this year and insists his recent playing opportunities in America mean he arrives at the season’s opening Major Championship at ease in his surroundings.
“The main reason why I came to America, was to get used to the competition, the environment, the crowds,” he added.
“It’s a little different to Europe. We’ve done a great job of that and I’m feeling quite comfortable out there right now.”
The 2019 Challenge Tour graduate comes into this week ranked inside the top 60 on the Official World Golf Ranking but admits the experience of driving down Magnolia Lane earlier this week was unlike any other.
“To be inside here and see it with my own eyes was a great experience,” he said.
“I left my house, which is two miles away, at seven o’clock and there was huge traffic. I was like ‘it’s only Monday’, it was crazy. I didn’t expect that.
“I’ll just have to get used to it, but it was fun out there.”
First day of @TheMasters with some fun on 16th ⛳️#masters #augustanational #gomeronk pic.twitter.com/EuvESXDDl9
— Adrian Meronk (@AdrianMeronk) April 4, 2023
Meronk has grown up watching the event from home but says playing at Augusta has provided a different outlook on the challenges that the course poses.
“You feel like you know the course, but being here in person you can see the slopes and elevation,” he said.
“It’s quite remarkable how slopy the greens are and how tough the place is. You don’t see that on TV.”
