Adrian Meronk has received the 2023 Seve Ballesteros Award after being voted Participant of the Yr by his friends on the DP World Tour.
The accolade is one in all plenty of the 31-year-old’s history-making achievements as he turns into the primary participant from Poland to obtain the honour after a season through which he received thrice and completed a career-high fourth on the 2023 cash record.
Meronk earned 38% of the votes solid by his fellow DP World Tour members, with Race to Dubai Champion Rory McIlroy taking second place. Ryder Cup debutant Nicolai Højgaard and Viktor Hovland, who clinched the PGA TOUR’s FedEx Cup, had been in joint third place.
Meronk was offered with the trophy by one in all Seve’s sons Javier, who travelled to Dubai forward of this week’s Hero Dubai Desert Basic, received by his father greater than 30 years in the past.
The Pole began the 2023 season in gorgeous vogue, incomes his second DP World Tour title on the ISPS HANDA Australian Open, holding off a last day problem from house favorite – and one in all his {golfing} heroes – Main champion Adam Scott.
His victory in Australia earned him a spot inside the highest 50 on the world rankings on the finish of 2022, sufficient to safe a maiden look on the Masters and thus turn into the primary participant from Poland to compete in all 4 Main Championships.
One other nationwide open title adopted shortly after as he triumphed on the DS Cars Italian Open, birdieing the 72nd gap at Marco Simone Golf & Nation Membership to win the title by one stroke. He then moved to a career-high forty fifth on the OWGR shortly after his win in Italy.
His subsequent victory of the marketing campaign, and fourth DP World Tour title, got here on the Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucía Masters at Sotogrande, as he secured his place inside the highest ten on the season-long rankings, in the end happening to complete in fourth place and earn twin membership on the PGA TOUR for 2024.
The Participant of the Yr Award incorporates the previous Golfer of the Yr Award after the 2 accolades had been mixed in 2021 to turn into one single honour voted for by the DP World Tour’s members.
Meronk, mentioned: “It feels wonderful. I’m shocked to be trustworthy, I didn’t count on that. You bought me abruptly however seeing my title subsequent to all of those gamers, it’s unbelievable. I’m very grateful for this award. It means lots to me that different gamers recognize my season final 12 months. It’s a fantastic feeling.
Final 12 months was the very best season thus far in my profession. I’m actually blissful that different gamers noticed that, as effectively and provides that award. Simply thanks for that and I’ve to maintain going. I take pleasure in this week. I really like taking part in right here in Dubai. It’s in all probability one in all my favorite tournaments of the 12 months. So I’m excited to be right here. We’ve got such a fantastic discipline this week, so I’ll simply take pleasure in each second.”
“It’s very good to be right here,” added Javier Ballesteros. “I used to come back right here with my dad a few years in the past, and to have an award along with his title that the gamers vote for the Participant of the Yr, we’re very grateful and really blissful that there’s a prize along with his title. Adrian performed implausible final 12 months, he received a number of instances and he’s a well-deserved winner of this award.
“We had been very blissful when the Tour got here to us to say that they had been going to place the Seve Ballesteros Award for the Participant of the Yr, and we actually do prefer it. We’re very grateful, and the particular factor that we like is the prize is voted by the gamers.”
Keith Pelley, Chief Govt of the DP World Tour, added: “Adrian has made historical past all through his profession, and I’m delighted to congratulate him as soon as once more, this time for turning into the primary Polish participant so as to add their title to the illustrious record of winners of the Seve Ballesteros Award. Any season that features three trophies – together with two nationwide opens – is at all times spectacular, and Adrian’s friends clearly thought so. I additionally need to thank Javier Ballesteros for travelling to Dubai to current the award to Adrian. It meant lots to have him there to symbolize his father.”
