Polish golf star Adrian Meronk (-16) clinched the Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucía Masters trophy with a final six-under 66, one shot ahead of Matti Schmid, to become a four-time winner in just fifteen months and secure his spot in the OWGR top 50.

The leaderboard was packed at the top on the final round of the Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucia Masters in gusty conditions. German rising talent Matti Schmid led for fifteen holes before giving back a shot on 16. Meanwhile Meronk, playing in the group ahead, was making birde on 17 to take a one-shot lead.

The Pole made a slow start, dropping two shots on the first two holes, until he bounced back with eagles on 6 (par 5) and 9 (holed from the fairway). Four more birdies on 10, 12, 14 and 17 were enough to get the job done.

“It was a tough start for me today. I hit a couple of bad shots at the beginning but I was trying to stay positive, talking to myself a lot, trying to stay in the game and keep hitting good shots”.

“The eagle on six, gave me momentum and belief that I could turn things around and that’s what happened. Another eagle on nine was huge for the momentum. I was super focused on the back nine, it was playing quite tricky with different wind directions but I did a good job with my caddie to stay focused, pick good targets, good clubs, good irons, hole good putts, and it was just a very solid nine holes of golf.”

“On the ninth hole I had exactly 110 metres. I just hit it perfectly, little draw, one bounce and in. I haven’t holed many shots this year from the fairway; to do it here and to get the win was huge. That one shot made the difference.”

Meronk started a new chapter in the history of Polish golf when he became the first of his compatriots to earn a DP World Tour card. He arrived at Sotogrande having won twice this season (ISPS HANDA Australian Open and DS Automobiles Italian Open) and is now third in the Race to Dubai after winning in Spain.

“My goal at the end of the year was top three on the Race to Dubai. I’m in a great position for a PGA TOUR card so I’ll just focus on that and keep getting better. And it is definitely my goal to finish the year again inside the top 50 in the world to play the Masters, all the Majors. ”

Adrian Meronk adds his name to a list of historic champions at the Real Club de Golf Sotogrande such as Argentine Roberto De Vicenzo and Seve Ballesteros, both of whom lifted the Claret Jug shortly after  ̶ a great omen for the Pole!

Adrián Otaegui fought hard to defend the title but dropped to a tie for 9^th after carding a final 74 (+2)

“ I tried hard but things didn’t work my way. I wanted to keep doing the things I’ve been doing all week, but we made some mistakes. I was unsure about the wind and never comfortable on the course.”

“Apart from today, it’s been a very good week. Climbing up the rankings and adding points is always positive.”

It was also a good week for Adri Arnaus and Jorge Campillo, who finished tied 19^th at -8.

INSIDE THE ROPES

The Minister of Tourism points out the environmental contribution of golf

Arturo Bernal, Minister of Tourism, Sport and Culture of the Junta de Andalucía visited the Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucía Masters and praised the efforts made by golf courses in terms of sustainability. “We have 120 golf courses in Andalucía, most of which use reclaimed water, and those that cannot do so, use non-drinkable water. Golf courses are great defenders of the environment, and I would like to thank them for their efforts,” he said.

Arturo Bernal also stressed the economic impact of golf in Andalucía: “Golf attracts one million visitors throughout the year with revenues exceeding €2,000 million and generates over 50,000 jobs. Next year we will stage again the Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucía Masters because we are strongly committed to this activity which helps deseasonalize tourism.”

Adri Arnaus raises a fair amount for his charity

 ‘Birdies for Children’s Health’, the joint charity led by Adri Arnaus and the Pau Gasol Foundation has benefited for the second week in a row. Adri donates €100 for every birdie and €250 for every eagle during the two-tournament Spanish swing. 

He raised €1,550 last week in Madrid, to which he adds €2,350 from one eagle and 21 birdies carded at Sotogrande, plus contributions made by other players and anyone else wishing to support his wonderful initiative

Tears for a dream come true  

The Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucía Masters, being one last events of the regular season, means added pressure for players struggling to keep their card. This Sunday, Chase Hanna climbed 40 places in the race to Dubai securing playing rights for his third year on tour. After sinking his last putt to finish fourth, the American was unable to hold back the tears.

Many others have lived this same experience as they reached their dream, like Spaniard Ángel Hidalgo when he earned his first DP World Tour card last year in this same tournament.

Despite the disappointment of finishing second after leading for most of the round, Matti Schmid didn’t leave Sotogrande empty-handed, as he secured his card for next season.

Adrian Meronk, from Poland, winner of the Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucia Masters, adds his victory to a list of historic champions at the Real Club de Golf Sotogrande such as the Argentine Roberto De Vicenzo, winner of the 1966 Spanish Open, and the Spaniard Severiano Ballesteros, winner of the 1987 Spanish Professional Championship.

“I did not have my best start, so winning this tournament is very special. I am over the moon. I knew it was going to be tricky today and that the weather was not going to be very helpful,” said Meronk, after his fourth win in the DP World Tour.

In December 1987, Ballesteros had to face similar weather conditions to beat the best Spanish golfers of the time, such as José Rivero, Seve's teammate on the European team that won the Ryder Cup that same year, at the neighboring Real Club Valderrama.

"On the 16th I played a three-wood to the fairway and Seve hooked his ball into the left bunker. I left my ball 12-feet for birdie and Seve hit into the green bunker and holed it from there," recalled Pepín Rivero about the "genius" Ballesteros last holes that gave him the victory at the Real Club de Golf Sotogrande.

"I also did very well in that tournament," said Juan Quirós, then a professional at the club, who finished fourth, four strokes behind Ballesteros. "All the memories of Seve are good, from anywhere he made you the greatest thing in the world. He was a phenomenon and bad luck that he died very young," recalls Quirós, who began his career at the Real Club de Golf de Sotogrande as a 13-year-old caddie.

Although he joined the club a year later, Juan Quirós remembers the stories about De Vicenzo's victory in 1966: "With what he paid the caddie, a neighbor of mine from Guadiaro, the boy had enough to fix up the family house and open a food stand."

"On the 12th hole, De Vicenzo rolled up his pants and got into the water to save par," said Jaime Brujó, then right-hand man of the club's founder, about the last round of the Argentine, who had started his golf career as a young "lagunero" (lake boy), recovering balls in the water.

A few months later, in July 1967, De Vicenzo won the Open Championship at Royal Liverpool. In July 1988, also the year after his victory at the Real Club de Golf de Sotogrande, Severiano Ballesteros won his third Open Championship and fifth major at Royal Lytham & St Annes.

“I hope I can follow that trend,” said Adrian Meronk, who after his victory this week at the Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucia Masters, Adrian Meronk, moves back into the top 50 on the Official World Ranking and third on the Race of Dubai Rankings in Partnership with Rolex.

He will have several chances to follow the footsteps of De Vicenzo and Ballesteros in the majors in 2024.

The defending champion enters the last round of the Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucía Masters two shots behind leaders Jeff Winther and Matti Schmid ( -14). Also in the top ten, Adri Arnaus is tied eigth at (-9).

Adrián Otaegui once again showed his mettle to stay in contention for the title. After dropping his first shot of the week on 13, he slipped to -10 but bounced back with a long distance birdie putt on 17, followed by another birdie on the last, to narrow the gap to two. The Spaniard carded a three-under 69 to reach -12 with a realistic chance of defending the title he claimed last year at Valderrama.  

“I’m happy with the way I finished. It was quite a slow start. Just played okay, a little bit slower on the front nine but I started to play better on the back nine. Had to wait until the putts dropped but it was a good birdie-birdie finish.”

“The public was fantastic. I felt like there were more and more crowds towards the end as well. The wee ones are fantastic, so I love them.”

“I’m feeling good. Just going to keep doing what I’ve been doing. Done good over the last few days so I’ll just keep doing that.”

Dane Jeff Winther and German Matti Schmid shot rounds of 65 (-7) to share the lead on -14. Korean-born Frenchman Jeong Weon Ko (-11), Pole Adrian Meronk, Englishman Richard Manson and German Nick Bachem (-10) complete the top five.

Next on the leaderboard is Adri Arnaus who climbed to eighth after a superb 65 (-7) marred by a double on 7. The player from Barcelona feels positive about his game

“It’s a nice feeling to get the round going. I played some great golf, so very happy.”

“I made a double on 7 without doing anything really wrong, but sank a good one on 8. This course can catch you out anytime, so I’m pleased that I stayed focused.”

“For a couple of months now, I feel that I’m getting back to my 2018 and 2019 form. I did well at Carnoustie, so hopefully I’m moving in the right direction.”

INSIDE THE ROPES
Coping with first tee nerves
Not even the best are spared the pressure of teeing off at the first in front of a crowd, but how do they deal with it so that it doesn’t affect that crucial first shot?

The third round of the Estrella Damm N.A. showcased some of the techniques used by the pros, from Nacho Elvira greeting friends up to the last second before the starter called his name, to Otaegui fully focused, eyes lost in the horizon.

Others, like Marcel Siem, preferred to chat or joke with their caddie or to discuss wind conditions like Matthieu Pavon.

But the winner by far was Swede Sebastian Soderberg and his army of friends who started singing for 20 or 30 seconds after his name was announced . Everyone burst out laughing, included Sebastian, and the pressure was gone.

Early start on Sunday
With storms forecast for Sunday afternoon, the DP World Tour took the decision to bring forward the tee times for the final round, which will start at 8:40am from tees 1 and 10.

The leaders Jeff Winther and Matti Schmid will tee off in the last group alongside defending champion Adrián Otaegui at 10:30 from the first tee. 

Double goal for Matti Schmid 
Matti Schmid is a rising talent of German golf who won the European Amateur in both 2019 and 2020, and was the leading amateur at the 2021 Open Championship. He turned professional one week later. He earned his DP World Tour card after seven starts as well as his PGA Tour card through the Korn Ferry Tour.

The 25 year-old is determined to keep both cards for next season, and winning the Estrella N.A. Andalucía Masters would be a huge step forward.

To enjoy the event you only need to  purchase tickets for the Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucía Masters, with special prices for federated golfers and free for children under 13, on the event website.

The Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucía Masters, an event in the DP World Tour’s Race to Dubai made possible by the essential contribution of the Real Club de Golf Sotogrande, is sponsored by Estrella Damm and the Consejería de Turismo, Cultura y Deporte de la Junta de Andalucía, jointly funded by the EU and was declared Event of Exceptional Public Interest by the Government of Spain.

In the early 1960s, Joseph R. McMicking, a American businessman born in the Philippines, arrived in southern Spain with the dream of replicating Makati, a Filipinian golf resort following the Californian style, on the shores of the Mediterranean.

"I can understand why he did it. This area is very beautiful and reminds me of California. It's a fantastic golf course," said American Wyndham Clark, winner of the U.S. Open at Los Angeles Country Club and competing this week in the Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucia Masters, at the Real Club de Golf in Sotogrande.

"It was a 'Welcome Mr. McMicking,'" said the 83-year-old McMicking's former right-hand man, Jaime Brujó, referring to the title of a Spanish comedy about the frustrated hopes that the Marshall Plan of American aid to Europe after World War II would not elude Spain.

Unlike Marshall, McMicking came to Sotogrande to stay. "He was a member of Cypress Point and wanted to do something similar and big," Brujó recalls of the initial project and the impact on the region.

The American businessman convinced architect Robert Trent Jones to design his first course in Europe and hired about a thousand people from the area to build access roads, hotels, homes and a golf course, in a place "quite removed from civilization," in Brujó's words.

In a 1965 interview, Robert Trent Jones told a Golf Monthly reporter that Sotogrande was certainly one of the most spectacular sites in the world for the construction of a golf course, and the only one with views of two continents. The golf club with 24 members inaugurated a few months earlier changed the life and reality of the Guadiaro River Valley forever.

"A large part of my family and many acquaintances have worked here. Most of the people in the area worked in agriculture and switched to construction, gardening, and golf course maintenance," says the manager of the pro shop, Diego Romero, born in 1964 and with 43 years of employment at the Real Club de Golf de Sotogrande.

In the words of his colleague, José Manuel Barbera, who was also born the same year as the inauguration of the course and has been working at the club for 35 years: "This golf thing moves mountains. For this area, golf has been the biggest economic injection ever. Directly or indirectly, everyone in this region has someone working in the golf industry."

The Real Club de Golf de Sotogrande, which has hosted international stars such as Bob Hope and Bing Crosby, and golf legends such as Argentina's Roberto de Vicenzo, winner of the 1966 Spanish Open, and Severiano Ballesteros, PGA of Spain Champion in 1987, planted the seed for the development of dozens of courses and thousands of jobs in the golf industry in southern Spain.

"My grandfather, my uncle, my father, my cousins, my brother... We have all lived and live from golf. Most people here have a job connected with golf," said Raul Quiros, caddie of Pablo Larrazábal.

All three generations of Quiros were introduced to the world of golf as teenagers at the Real Club de Golf de Sotogrande caddie school, where a schoolteacher taught the youngsters when they were not working on the course.

And several Quiros’ and other boys from the area got to compete professionally thanks to another project by Joseph R. McMicking and Robert Trent Jones, the La Cañada Golf Club, a municipal course with a thriving junior school.

"When you drive through Guadiaro, the most normal thing is to see kids carrying golf bag going up to La Cañada. In the TV at the village bar, as soon as the soccer is over, golf is on," adds Raul Quiros, who teaches golf at La Cañada when he is not traveling around the world.

Six decades later, the Guadiaro Valley and the Real Club de Golf de Sotogrande, now home to the Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucia Masters, with 2,400 members and almost a hundred employees, are still enjoying McMicking's American dream.

To enjoy the event you only need to  purchase tickets for the Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucía Masters, with special prices for federated golfers and free for children under 13, on the event website.

The Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucía Masters, an event in the DP World Tour’s Race to Dubai made possible by the essential contribution of the Real Club de Golf Sotogrande, is sponsored by Estrella Damm and the Consejería de Turismo, Cultura y Deporte de la Junta de Andalucía, jointly funded by the EU and was declared Event of Exceptional Public Interest by the Government of Spain.