Adrian Meronk put the disappointment of missing out on the Ryder Cup behind him as he surged through the field on Sunday to win the Andalucía Masters by one shot from Matti Schmid.
Meronk rebounded from not making selection for the European Ryder Cup team which left him, he said at the time, “shocked, sad and angry”.
On Sunday the Polish golfer said “I’m just glad the Ryder Cup and all the talk about it is over. I can focus on my game and keep going forward. Whoever doubted me I hope I can prove them wrong.”
The final round was brought forward to avoid forecast storms but was still played in changeable conditions.
Meronk, who had opened the tournament with an even-par 72, began the final round four shots off the lead and started with bogeys at the 1st and 3rd holes.
He eagled the 6th and the 9th and hit four birdies on the back nine, including what turned out to be the winner at the 17th.
“Tough tournament. Tough weather,” he said. “I didn’t have my best golf on the first day so to win the tournament is very special. I’m over the moon.”
“The eagle on the 6th gave me some momentum and then I believed and stayed super focused until the last putt.”
Meronk shot a six-under par 66 to finish on 16 under.
Schmid, a German, who had started the day tied for the lead with Dane Jeff Winther, made four birdies but also three bogeys, the last at the 16th. He could not hole a 40-foot birdie putt on the last to force a playoff.
Richard Mansell was third one shot behind Schmid, while Winther, who made a double-bogey at the 13th, went round in 74 to drop to sixth.
South African Louis de Jager shared fourth with American Chase Hanna after a final round of 68.
© Agence France-Presse
Photo: Stuart Franklin/Getty Images
