12 months ago, Adrian Meronk may not have seen his rise in the game grow quite as rapidly as it has done. Two victories since then on the DP World Tour, the Horizon Irish Open in the summer and a stunning win at the ISPS HANDA Australian Open just over a month ago as part of the 2023 campaign.
During that time, the Pole has made Dubai his base, purely for the year long golfing facilities on offer and after a quick stop back in his motherland for the holidays he is ready to get 2023 underway back in the UAE and at the Hero Cup.
‘Happy New Year! I spent some quality time back home over Christmas and New Year. I'm excited to be back and get things going again. It's a great way to start the year with the team competition and I'm very excited about this week,’ said Meronk.
After that second victory in Australia on the DP World Tour, the 29 year-old sits now at a career high of 47th in the official world golf rankings. With that a milestone for him to represent his country to be the first ever player from Poland to compete in the Masters Tournament in April.
‘After that win (in Australia), I received the Masters invitation, so that was special," he said. "I'm just very, very proud and glad it happened. The confidence definitely is much higher than last year.’
With the Hero Cup his main focus this week, the Pole isn’t shy to when it comes to competing in a match play format. This will be the second time he has represented Europe after playing in the Arnold Palmer Cup in 2015 and 2016, while also he has represented his country in team golf as both an amateur and a professional.
The Hero Cup will see 10 players from both Continental Europe and Great Britain and Ireland go head-to-head across three days of team match play at the inaugural Hero Cup in Abu Dhabi.
‘I'm looking forward to it,’ he said. ‘I love match play. We didn't play much over my professional career but I played a little bit as an amateur, as a junior, so I have some experience, and I enjoy it. I think it's a great format, especially playing for a team as well. So it's going to be a lot of fun.
‘We have a really strong team and I'm very happy to be among these players and I'm sure we're going to enjoy the week and everyone is going to do their best.’
The format of the event begins on Friday morning at the National course at Abu Dhabi Golf Club, the schedule of play below:
Friday 13th January
5 x Fourballs matches – from 11:05 local time
Saturday 14th January
5 x Foursomes matches (morning) – from 07:35 local time
5 x Foursomes matches (afternoon) – from 12:20 local time
Sunday 15th January
10 x Singles matches – from 10:35 local time
Prize Presentation – approx. 16:00 local time
