Adrian Meronk staged a dramatic comeback at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, erasing a four‑shot deficit to overtake South African Casey Jarvis and finish two strokes ahead on the final day at the historic St Andrews Old Course. The win marked a watershed moment for the LIV Golf player, ending a 1,078‑day drought without a DP World Tour title, securing his fifth tour victory, and guaranteeing his tour card for the upcoming season after he posted a solid four‑under‑par 68 in the closing round. Jarvis entered the final day with a two‑stroke lead, having opened the round strongly with consecutive birdies on holes four and five. However, his momentum stalled as he dropped bogeys on the ninth and eleventh holes, allowing Meronk to close the gap.
Meronk, who had taken a two‑shot advantage heading into the last three holes, faced a tense finish when Jarvis managed a bogey on the 17th, briefly narrowing the margin. The South African’s attempt to mount a comeback faltered on the penultimate hole when he missed the green and added another bogey, leaving him needing an eagle on the 18th to force a playoff. After a decent drive that left his ball on the fringe, Jarvis could not convert the long eagle putt, sealing Meronk’s triumph. "I never usually cry, but this one feels very special," Meronk admitted, his voice thick with emotion.
"It’s been a tough year, and to win here a decade after turning professional is a dream come true." Jarvis finished with a 72 for the day, sharing second place with Denmark’s Niklas Nørgaard. Meanwhile, world‑ranked 979 Michael Stewart enjoyed a fairy‑tale performance, climbing to a tie for fourth alongside England’s Tommy Fleetwood at 16‑under‑par after a recent stint on the Tartan Pro Tour.
Brooks Koepka, the former major champion, recorded his first top‑10 finish of the season on both the DP World Tour and PGA Tour, joining last year’s champion Robert MacIntyre at 16‑under‑par for a tie for sixth. England’s Matthew Jordan, who had been just two shots off the lead at the start of the day, endured a disappointing round, carding a three‑over 75 and dropping to a tie for 11th.
Open de France champion Matt Fitzpatrick also slipped down the leaderboard, finishing tied for 17th after a level‑par final round. Meronk’s final round began explosively, with birdies on his first two holes and another on the fourth, quickly establishing a lead over Jarvis. He neutralised a bogey on the seventh with a birdie on the ninth, then took sole possession of the lead with a birdie on the 12th and extended it further with another on the 14th.
Although a bogey on the 17th trimmed his cushion, he held firm and closed out the tournament with confidence. "After my drive on 18, I was quite happy with the position I was in," Meronk reflected. "Crossing the bridge at St Andrews is an amazing experience – you can feel the history, see the crowds, and think about legends like Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus who have walked the same path.
I asked them for good energy, and it felt right." The victory also made Meronk only the third player in tournament history to win both the individual title and the team Pro‑Am event, having partnered with Keane frontman Tom Chaplin to secure a one‑shot win in the team competition. Stewart expressed delight at his tied‑fourth finish, which earned him a £168,000 cheque and a spot in next week’s Open de España in Madrid. Despite the lucrative invitation, Stewart, who sits second on the Tartan Pro Tour Order of Merit, confirmed his commitment to the Gleneagles Masters, the next Tartan Tour stop.
A strong finish on the Tartan Tour could also secure him a HotelPlanner Tour card for 2027 if he ends the season second on the Order of Merit. "I definitely need to play the Tartan Tour next week," Stewart said.
"I don’t want to be left without a schedule next season after a great year. The focus has to be on that tour, even though this week has been fantastic." The DP World Tour now heads to Madrid for the Open de España, with live coverage of all four rounds available on Sky Sports Golf. Fans can also explore deals on Sky Sports subscriptions or stream without a contract.
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