Adrian Meronk tames the Blues in Rome

They were three French people in the first four places at the start of this last lap. And it was the fourth thief who triumphed. Adrian Meronk won in Rome, on the course of the next Ryder Cup, thus achieving his third success on the DP World Tour: “I’m proud of myself and above all relieved to have won. I was less good this Sunday on the long game and green attacks. The putt on 17 to save par was very important but there were plenty of big moments. It’s the first time I’ve won in front of my father, who wasn’t present during my successes in Ireland and Australia. I started golf thanks to him. Obviously this is good news from a Ryder Cup perspective but nothing is certain.”.

Best player on the board in the world rankings, the Pole enforced logic after a hair-raising scenario and a duel at high altitude with Romain Langasque, while Julien Guerrier, who started with two bogeys before stopping the hemorrhage, and especially Matthieu Pavon, who exploded this Sunday (+8) to finish 32nd (in the par), were never in the game for the win.

A breathtaking duel

Adrian Meronk took the lead from the fifth hole without ever managing to make the break. At the start of the 16th, he was still tied with Romain Langasque (-11). On this small par 4, the Frenchman chose to take the drive. He got into the bunker, before forcing an approach and missing his first putt. Bogey and turning. Romain Langasque reacted on 17 with a chip in synonymous with birdie and a last birdie on 18 despite a misplaced drive in the big rough forcing him to refocus.

Only, during this time, Adrian Meronk chained birdie at 16, by miraculously saved at 17 with a putt returned from outside the green and birdie at 18 on a final downhill putt. Enough to win on the smallest of margins, enter the world Top 50 and settle in 4th place in the Race to Dubai. A strike.

After his rough Saturday (74), Victor Perez finished well (68) to take 9th place (-5). It was important to leave a good last impression on Ryder Cup Captain Luke Donald. Clement Sordet finished by his side and Antoine Rozner can savor his Roman stage (-3, 21st). David Ravetto (+1, 40th), Alexander Levy (+2, 47th), Robin Sciot-Siegrist (+3, 52nd), Jeong-Weon Ko and Michael Lorenzo-Vera (+4, 53rd) as well as Julien Brun (+ 15, 72nd) will have remained distant spectators of the battle for the title.