Adrian Meronk’s Daily Diary: A steady start after a five-week break

Thursday’s first round of two under par 68 is a steady start for me after a five-week break from tournament golf.

Starting on hole 10: I bogeyed hole 12, and then made a run of birdies on holes 14, 15 and 17. I then had 10 pars to finish. I am lying tied 25th on the live leaderboard midway though the first round of the Omega European Open on the DP World Tour in Crans-Sur-Sierre.

Leading the field with players still out on the golf course, on eight under par, was my playing partner Thriston Lawrence of South Africa and Spain’s Alejandro Canizares.

Stunning blue skies

I watched Thriston first hand, currently 10th in the DP World Tour Rankings, he has two nines of 31, with four birdies on our front nine, holes 10-18, and then further birdies on holes 4 and 6 before an eagle three grandstand finish on the 633 yards par five ninth hole.

The weather has been great on Thursday in the low to mid-20s and a modest breeze of 10-15 mph that seems to be freshening for the later starters. Perhaps a little on the hot side of OK with stunning blue skies and 360 degree views everywhere. Switzerland is a very special place when the weather is good.

For tomorrow the weather forecast is the same as today, with rain showers and perhaps even thunderstorms on the radar for the weekend as we speak.

Just to reflect on yesterday’s Pro-Am as promised in my preview Daily Diary. Team Meronk shot 25 under par and I myself shot a seven under par 63 with my own ball.

Shambles Team format

It was the ‘Shambles’ Team format with the amateurs choosing the best drive of the Team and then playing individually from there. Jerzy Dudek, our Polish football goalkeeping legend, was perhaps the star of the Team, he is still a great athlete and a very strong three handicap golfer. I was so surprised we only finished in 11th place in the Pro-Am. There were a lot of low scores and high handicaps. We would have preferred it the opposite, low handicappers and high scores, but it was not to be.

It was great to have Marta and Subho, my friends and my White Eagle Sport sponsors from Dubai here all week watching. I hope they are my lucky charm as they saw me win in the Horizon Irish Open in late June, earlier this year on the DP World Tour.

Having fun

In the Pro-Am on Wednesday, we had a nice following of fans; football fans, sports fans and golf fans, mostly Polish. My girlfriend and my dad are here along with so many friends and even Marta’s dad is supporting, so it is a real family and friendly week.

We will all have fun this week in the mountains of Switzerland.

Everyone enjoys their time in Crans-Sur-Sierre, whether in the summer or winter.

— Adrian Meronk is a 29 year-old DP World Tour golfer who is originally from Poland. He is based in Dubai during the winter and is currently eighth in the DP World Tour Rankings and 59th in the OWGR, and recently won the Horizon Irish Open in Ireland, his first win on the DP World Tour. Adrian is sponsored by Dubai-based White Eagle Sport.