Comeback victory at the Old Course
Adrian Meronk overcame a two-stroke deficit entering the final round to win the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at St Andrews. The 33-year-old Polish golfer posted a final-round 68 on the Old Course to finish at 20-under-par with a total of 268 strokes. He finished two shots clear of South Africa's Casey Jarvis, who recorded a final-round 72, and Denmark's Niklas Norgaard, who shot a 68. Meronk had closed in on overnight leader Jarvis after carding a 63 at Kingsbarns on Saturday, building on earlier rounds of 71 and 66. A bogey on the 17th hole narrowed his advantage to one stroke, but a matching bogey by Jarvis on the same hole restored Meronk's cushion before he crossed the Swilcan Bridge on the 18th.
It's an amazing walk when you cross the bridge. I was actually thinking about Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus walking on the bridge, and I was kind of asking for that good momentum, good energy from them, and it was just a great feeling.
- Cards a 71 in the opening round across the Scottish links courses
- Shoots a 66 to move up the tournament leaderboard
- Posts a nine-under 63 at Kingsbarns to move into second place
- Scores a four-under 68 on the Old Course to seal a two-shot victory
Tour exemption and ranking climb
The victory earned Meronk a first prize of €725,520 and secured his fifth career DP World Tour title. Entering the week ranked 141st in the Race to Dubai, Meronk faced the prospect of losing his tour card after his contract with LIV Golf concluded at the end of the season. The win lifted him to 38th place in the season-long standings and granted him a full tour exemption through the end of the 2028 season. The achievement arrived exactly ten years after Meronk made his European Tour debut at the same tournament as a 23-year-old. After sealing the win, Meronk described the relief of securing his future status.
It's unreal, to be honest. I never usually cry, but this one feels really special. It's been quite a tough year for me, and to win here after 10 years as a pro, it's a dream come true, and it's unbelievable. I'm extremely happy and very relieved.
Stewart's dilemma and leaderboard finishes
Scotland's Michael Stewart and England's Tommy Fleetwood shared fourth place at 17-under-par, finishing three shots behind Meronk. For the 36-year-old Stewart, ranked 979th in the world, the fourth-place finish followed a runner-up result at Duddingston on the Tartan Pro Tour four days earlier, where he earned £2,500. His performance at St Andrews earned him entry into the upcoming Spanish Open, creating a schedule clash with the Tartan Pro Tour finale, the Gleneagles Masters. Stewart currently holds second place on the developmental tour, with a promotion to the Challenge Tour at stake.
Right now, in all honesty, in my mind, it's definitely play the Tartan Pro Tour final at Gleneagles. If I don't go and somebody overtakes me, I don't think that's the right thing to do.
Field results and course adjustments
Pádraig Harrington finished tied for 35th at nine-under-par following a closing round that dropped him out of contention. In the team competition, Meronk took first place alongside amateur partner Tom Chaplin, the lead singer of the band Keane. The tournament was played across three Scottish venues, Carnoustie, Kingsbarns, and the Old Course at St Andrews, where calmer conditions than in previous years aided scoring. The Old Course presented subtle modifications, including lengthened holes and added bunkers, ahead of hosting the 155th Open Championship next summer.