A European Tour pro at the Horizon Irish Open this week is playing to prove himself. The motivations come from the upcoming Ryder Cup and Luke Donald’s recent decisions about his team’s line-up to represent Europe on home soil.

Despite being in his best form, the Polish professional did not make the cut for Ryder Cup 2023. And that appears to have fueled his ambition at the ongoing $6,000,000 event. Let’s dive into the story.

Adrian Meronk is looking ahead after a big disappointment

Almost everyone was sure Adrian Meronk would be the captain’s pick for the Ryder Cup later this month in Rome. However, when he got the much-awaited call, he was told he wasn’t part of the squad. He is now looking to prove that Luke Donald made a mistake. He teed off on the 10th hole and moved forward at the Irish Open, birdieing his first two holes.

In the post-round interview, the reporter asked him if the disappointment of the Ryder Cup is making it difficult for the Polish golfer to focus on golf. Meronk held nothing back and said: “It was difficult on Sunday and then Monday to be honest to focus on golf.”

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Talking about how he recovered from the shock, the Irish Open defending champion said: “… fortunately I went back home and had some downtime over there and tried to just use all the emotions and turn it into motivation, and I’m going to focus on that and focus on my game for the next days and the next couple of weeks. I think that’s the main goal for me right now.”

Adrian Meronk, who finished three under for the day, admitted that not getting selected for the patriotic showdown in Rome led to an emotional rollercoaster for him. He was shocked, sad, and angry all at once. And it was a hard pill to swallow for the Polish golfer.

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Adrian Meronk remembers the unfortunate phone call

Shane Lowry has not had a great season. That’s why people thought Adrian Meronk would be a more suitable choice for Rome. However, on Thursday, Lowry carded a 4-under 68 and sits three shots behind the leader Shubhankar Sharma.

Be that as it may, the European Tour pro does not compare himself with the six picks in the squad. All that matters to him is that he was not picked. While describing the phone call, the Polish professional said he felt it was also difficult for Luke Donald to deliver the news.

However, when he learned he hadn’t made it, Meronk stopped listening. Now he has a good opportunity at the Irish Open to prove his point. The leader, Indian golfer Shubhankar Sharma, carded a bogey-free round of 65 (7-under) on Thursday at K Club. Will the European Tour pro be able to bridge that gap?

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