LIV Golf star sacks coach after 14 years

An inauspicious start to his LIV Golf career has led Adrian Meronk to a tough decision.

Meronk is yet to make his mark since ditching the establishment for the Saudi-backed league. The towering Pole, who rejected a debut season on the PGA Tour to join Greg Norman’s start-up, is currently 19th in LIV’s individual standings.

His best result so far was a T6 finish in Jeddah, but even that promising week was marred by a rare slow play penalty that cost him around £200,000.

Last season’s DP World Tour’s Player of the Year has not kicked on and he has now decided a shake-up is required to his backroom team.

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Matthew Tipper, the Welshman who has worked so closely with Meronk on tour, announced on X, formerly Twitter, that he has been let go after 14 years by his side.

“After 14 years sometimes things just come to an end,” Tipper wrote. “Last week Adrian decided he wanted to go a new way and I have to respect that decision. I’m proud of everything we achieved together.

“I knew in 2010 he was a great talent and he has only gone to prove that all over the world. To Pietro Gobinho and Stuart Beck, thank you for being amazing caddies when Adrian needed you. Your support and co-operation has been invaluable and I thank you both.”

pic.twitter.com/Q6klxxgyW0

— Matthew Tipper (@Matthew__Tipper) April 29, 2024

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Tipper added: “I want to publicly thank Adrian for allowing me to sit in the best seat in the house for 14 years.

“It’s now time to start my new chapter in the USA alongside my mentor James Sieckmann and I’m excited to go to my first Korn Ferry Tour event last next month. As always tomorrow we begin again.”

Before making the lucrative move to LIV, Meronk declared that he was “shocked” and “angry” to miss out on Luke Donald’s 2023 Ryder Cup team in Rome.

Meronk was left reeling having missed out on a captain’s pick and later admitted that his LIV decision was influenced by his Team Europe snub.

“I would probably not have come to LIV if I had played in the Ryder Cup,” the 30-year-old told the Telegraph in February.

Meronk finished 26th in LIV’s most recent event in Adelaide. It is unclear at this stage who he has chosen as Tipper’s replacement.

Ben Parsons joined bunkered as a Content Producer in 2023 and is the man to come to for all of the latest news, across both the professional and amateur games. Formerly of The Mirror and Press Association, he is a member at Halifax Golf Club and is a long-suffering fan of both Manchester United and the Wales rugby team.