Dubai’s Adrian Meronk on brink of historic first individual LIV Golf title in Riyadh

Adrian Meronk, the Dubai-based star of Cleeks GC, surged into the lead at the $20 million LIV Golf Riyadh presented by Ma'aden, setting himself up for a shot at his first individual LIV Golf victory.

Staying true to his mindset, Meronk emphasized: “My only focus will be just one shot at a time, playing my best golf, and we'll see what happens.”

Recommended For You

ILT20: Desert Vipers cruise to easy eight-wicket victory over Gulf Giants

Precision meets progress with Prescott Real Estate

Senior Hamas commander Raed Saed killed in Gaza strike, Israeli media say

Watch: Translator breaks down as Ukrainian boy recounts mum's death in Russia strike

Unstable weather in UAE: Rain, thunder to hit country as temperatures drop drastically

 

The Pole, who opened with a stunning 10-under 62 at Riyadh Golf Club, followed it up with a solid 6-under 66 in Friday night's second round. Sitting at 16 under par, he holds a two-shot lead over Torque GC's Sebastián Muñoz heading into Saturday's final round.

The 31-year-old, who resides and trains in Dubai, continued to impress despite not replicating his flawless first-round performance. While he missed a few greens, his putting remained sharp, needing just 26 putts to maintain his position at the top of the leaderboard.

“I played quite solid,” said Meronk. “I had a couple of bad swings, but overall, I'm pleased with the result and excited for Saturday.”

Catching Meronk seems like a tall ask, given his form the first two days. But Legion XIII will have plenty of chances with four players in contention in the first tournament since a format change to all scores counting on each round. No team has swept the podium since Stinger GC pulled off the feat in the 2022 inaugural LIV Golf event in London.

Muñoz also carded a 66 and boasts the hottest putter in the field, needing only 51 putts through 36 holes. Ripper GC's Lucas Herbert sits in third place at 12 under after a stellar 64, the lowest round of the day.

Meronk's Dubai connection has been instrumental in shaping his career. Having spent significant time honing his game in the emirate's world-class golfing facilities, he is now on the brink of securing a landmark win.

With the format change this season requiring all scores to count in the team competition, Meronk's strong play has also contributed to Cleeks GC's position at 24 under, currently tied for sixth place.

However, the team title appears to be heading to Legion XIII, who hold an 11-stroke lead over Torque GC at 42 under.

Legion XIII, led by Jon Rahm, continued their dominant performance in Riyadh, with Rahm, Tyrrell Hatton, and Caleb Surratt all posting 67s on Friday. The team's commanding lead has put them in a prime position to claim their first LIV Golf team title.

Rahm, making his highly anticipated LIV Golf debut, has been instrumental in Legion XIII's success. The Spanish star sits at 10 under, tied for sixth individually, and has shown flashes of brilliance throughout the tournament.

Speaking about his team's performance, Rahm expressed his confidence. “Extremely proud. I don't know what else to add to that. We came in with a strong mindset, and it's showing on the leaderboard. But we still have to go out there and take care of business on Saturday.”

While Legion XIII looks set to secure the team crown, all eyes will be on Meronk in the individual race. A win on Saturday would mark a significant milestone in his career, especially as he seeks to cement his status as one of LIV Golf's top players.

“It would be special for sure, especially as the first win of the year,” said Meronk. “But I don't want to focus on that. My only focus will be just one shot at a time, playing my best golf, and we'll see what happens.”

For live scoring and updates, visit: www.LIVGolf.com.

Adrian Meronk 62-66_128 -16

Sebastian Muñoz 64-66_130 -14

Lucas Herbert 68-64_132 -12

Tyrrell Hatton 66-67_133 -11

Caleb Surratt 66-67_133 -11

Teams Scores

Legion XIII (J. Rahm, T. Hatton, T. McKibbin, C. Surratt) -42

Torque GC (J. Niemann, S. Muñoz, C. Ortiz, M. Pereira) -31

Crushers GC (B. DeChambeau, P. Casey, C. Howell III, A. Lahiri) -28

RangeGoats GC (B. Watson, B. Campbell, P. Uihlein, M. Wolff) -28

Ripper GC (C. Smith, L. Herbert, M. Jones, M. Leishman) -28

ALSO READ