Italian Open: Adrian Meronk bolsters Ryder Cup hopes with impressive one-shot win

Adrian Meronk boosted his hopes of making his Ryder Cup debut this fall after picking up an impressive one-shot win after a thrilling final day at the DS Automobiles Italian Open.

The 29-year-old, the top-ranked player in the field, mixed six birdies and four bogeys in a turbulent final round 69 at Marco Simone Golf Club.

Meronk birdied two of his last three holes to finish the week under 13 and edge French duo Romain Langasque and Julien Guerrier, who both topped the leaderboard at different stages of a thrilling Sunday.

Meronk started the final lap with a header

The victory is the Polish player’s third on the DP World Tour and follows his victories at the Horizon Irish Open and the ISPS Handa Australian Open, with his latest success raising the prospect of him playing for Team Europe when the Ryder Cup will be held at the same location later this year.

“It was a tough day,” admitted Meronk. “I didn’t play as well as the previous days off the tee and on the tee-to-green, so I had to manage a bit. I’m super happy and it’s such a relief to have come out on top, I’m very proud of myself.

How Meronk secured Italian glory

Warrior took a one-shot lead in the final round but opened with back-to-back bogeys, as Meronk – playing in the front group – rolled in a 10ft birdie at first to briefly take a lead.

Meronk responded to a six-foot miss to save par in the third by birdieing in the fifth to edge Langasque, who opened with eight straight pars before taking advantage of the par-five ninth to close a 34-for-nine.

Romain Langasque narrowly missed a first DP World Tour title

Guerrier followed up a brilliant tee shot and birdie from close range in the seventh by bogeying the eighth, while Meronk canceled a birdie in the ninth by starting his back nine with a bogey to fall back alongside Langasque on 12 under.

Langasque came in from 15ft on the 11th to match Meronk’s birdie on the same hole before the two hit the par-three 13th, with a bad chip from the rough seeing the Frenchman join Guerrier in making another bogey.

Meronk bounced back from a dropped shot on the 15th to birdie the driveable 16th hole, where Langasque failed to get up and down from the rough, then drilled 15ft to save par from the fringe on the next and stay ahead .

A long-range two-putt birdie on the last par five was enough for Meronk to set up a winning total, as Langasque made a superb birdie chip-in on the 17th but was unable to find an eagle from the last hole to force a playoff.

Langasque birdied 20 feet on the par-5 18 to post a final-round 70, while Guerrier finished the week with 10 under and three shots in third after a two-over 73.

2021 champion Nicolai Hojgaard scored a round of the day 65, moving him up to fifth with Daniel van Tonder and Max Kieffer, as Eddie Pepperell marked his first start since February claiming a share of ninth.

And after?

The DP World Tour will then travel to Belgium for the Soudal Open, which will be held at Rinkven International GC in Antwerp. Live coverage begins Thursday from noon on Sky Sports Golf.