[PHOTO: Icon Sportswire]
Given the progress the PGA Tour and the PIF seem to be making on the negotiation front, and the fact that everyone is extremely bored of the discourse, it felt like we were long past the era of both LIV and PGA Tour players saying tone-deaf things about their jobs, if you call playing professional golf for a boatload of money a job. Many players have realised that saying nothing is a lot better than saying anything at all (shoutout to Adam Hadwin).
Well, it would appear that Adrian Meronk would still like a word.
You may recall that Meronk, 31, creatively announced that he had earned his PGA Tour card in December 2023, at the time quelling rumours he was headed to LIV. One month later, the 2022 Australian Open champion withdrew from the Farmers Insurance Open the day before it began, citing an illness. A week later, it was confirmed the Polish pro was off to LIV, where he wound up playing 14 of 15 events in 2024 as a member of the Cleeks GC.
The next month, Meronk confirmed that a large part of the reason he made the jump was his infamous snub from the 2023 Ryder Cup team. “I would probably not have come to LIV if I had played in the Ryder Cup,” said Meronk, who felt he had done enough to earn a spot in Italy on Luke Donald’s European team. “What happened definitely made my choice easier.”
But now Meronk is changing his tune, telling Gulf News in an interview that part of the reason he went to LIV is that he would have felt “lonely and miserable” in America had he played on the PGA Tour in 2024.
“If I’d played in America, I would have had to base myself there and I would have been so lonely and so miserable, I think,” he said.
“Joining LIV Golf meant I could stay in Dubai, which is a place that I like, and play fewer tournaments, as I was exhausted last year after playing 27 times.
“I think it was a great decision for me. It’s given me so much life and enjoyment. It’s like a rat race on the PGA Tour – everybody is looking out for themselves, and nobody talks to you.”
Naturally, social media pounced on a few of these quotes, which were tweeted out by the popular Twitter/X account NUCLRGOLF:
he wS PISSED he was left off the ryder cup … now he is coming up with a different story
— Ruffus Ford MD (@RuffusMD) October 30, 2024
Dubai – well known family-centered environment
— Albert O’Connell (Hater) (@aoconnell69) October 30, 2024
So take it he didn’t like his 2023 DPWT schedule (28 events – 19 DPWT; 4 PGAT; 4 majors & 1 WGC). He’s currently playing schedule consisting of 14 LIV events, 4 DPWT events, and 4 majors or 22 events.
Played 7 events in U.S. in 2023
Played 10 events in U.S. in 2024
— Linda Renner (@LindaRenner11) October 30, 2024
Poor guy was exhausted from touring the world playing golf 🙁
— Ryan James Woods (@RyanJamesWoods1) October 30, 2024
Who made him play on the PGAT?
— Art Vandalay (@Poizzon21) October 30, 2024
Speak for yourselves, folks. You don’t know “exhausting” until you’ve played golf three times in four weeks.
