Angry Adrian Meronk opens up on Ryder Cup phone call: "I just stopped listening"

Poland's Adrian Meronk has explained the vast range of emotions he went through after Luke Donald called to tell him he wouldn't be a Ryder Cup pick.

Ben Smith

06 Sep 2023

Angry Adrian Meronk opens up on Ryder Cup phone call: "I just stopped listening" — Angry Adrian Meronk opens up on Ryder Cup phone call: "I just stopped…

Poland's Adrian Meronk has revealed he 'just stopped listening' when European Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald called him to explain he wouldn't be part of his plans.

Meronk was widely expected to make his debut in the 29 September to 1 October contest after a sublime season on the DP World Tour.

He has three wins on the circuit and, most importantly, one of those victories came at the very same venue where this year's contest will be held: the Marco Simone Golf & Country Club in Rome.

But despite his win at the Italian Open, Donald has gambled and decided to take inexperienced youngsters Ludvig Aberg and Nicolai Hojgaard along with Tommy Fleetwood, Shane Lowry, Justin Rose and Sepp Straka.

Meronk explained the range of emotions he went through after receiving the call from Donald as he was travelling back from Switzerland on the train with his girlfriend Melania Bobrowicz after the Omega European Masters.

WATCH HIS INTERVIEW HERE:

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Meronk said:

"It's been emotional time for me to be honest from shock to sadness to anger, and now I'm trying to turn it into motivation going into this week.

"Obviously it's a hard one to swallow.

"I thought I've done enough to be on the team but it is what it is. I wish them good luck and I will just focus on my game and move forward."

Meronk said he was expecting a call from Donald regardless. "I was in quite a good mood to be honest," he said.

That changed. He continued:

"To be honest, I was in shock, yeah, because I was expecting I have a pretty decent chance to be on the team but it was a quite shocking call, yeah."

Asked to explain his anger, he said:

"Yeah, Monday, first half of the day was more sadness and disbelief.

"But then anger, yeah, because to be honest last year and a half, I spent a lot of time thinking about this and that was my goal.

"So you know, suddenly, I was just realising that it's not going to happen this year.

"So it was just sadness turning into anger. I think it's normal process of emotions to be honest.

"Yeah, I talked to my parents and my psychologist, my coach and they all have been quite supportive and to be honest, a lot of players on tour and coaches, caddies, staff, they all have been very supportive to me.

"You know, texting me, calling me."

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