Adrian Meronk Wins Alfred Dunhill Links, Secures 2027 Status
By Staff Writer
3 min read
LoopGolf
Key takeaways
- Adrian Meronk closed with a final-round 68 to win the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at St. Andrews' Old Course, finishing at 20 under.
- It was his first DP World Tour title since 2023 and his first win anywhere since LIV Golf's Riyadh event in 2025.
- The victory lifts Meronk to 38th in the Race to Dubai standings, inside the cutoff to keep his DP World Tour card for 2027.
- Meronk made his professional debut at the same tournament in 2016, a decade before Sunday's win.
- His LIV Golf contract has expired, and the DP World Tour is considered unlikely to offer conditional releases to LIV players again in 2027.
Adrian Meronk closed with a final-round 68 to win the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship on St. Andrews' Old Course, finishing at 20 under for his first DP World Tour title since 2023 — a result that also restores his standing on the tour heading into 2027.
How did Meronk close out the win?
Meronk started the day two shots behind leader Casey Jarvis and took the outright lead at the 12th hole. The win was sealed when Jarvis's eagle attempt from the Valley of Sin on the 18th hole came up short. Meronk made his professional debut at the same tournament in 2016, a decade before Sunday's result, and he was visibly emotional afterward, telling reporters he struggled to find the words for what the win meant to him.
Why does the win matter for Meronk's 2027 status?
The victory moves Meronk to 38th in the Race to Dubai standings, inside the cutoff to retain DP World Tour membership for 2027. He had been outside the top 200 when his LIV Golf season ended. Meronk signed with LIV in 2024 after being named DP World Tour Player of the Year in 2023, and his only previous win since then came at LIV's Riyadh event in 2025.
His 2026 season on LIV was difficult: a tie for 21st in Virginia was his best finish, and he ended the year 45th in the league's season-long points race. Meronk said he considered stepping away from the sport about two months before Sunday's win, crediting daily journaling about his goal of winning on the DP World Tour and finishing inside the season's top 20.
What's next for Meronk amid LIV Golf's uncertain future?
Meronk was one of eight LIV players who reached a deal with the DP World Tour this year for conditional releases, letting them play LIV events without punishment as long as they paid outstanding fines. His LIV contract has since expired, and with the breakaway league's future unsettled, the DP World Tour is considered unlikely to extend those conditional releases again for 2027. That uncertainty is part of why Meronk spent the fall playing as many DP World Tour starts as he could, aiming to lock in a full-time home on the circuit regardless of what happens with LIV.
"I'm going to have to re-evaluate my goals, my schedule."
Meronk said the win changes his thinking about next season, though he has not yet settled on a full 2027 schedule.
Frequently asked questions
Who won the 2026 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship?
Adrian Meronk won, finishing at 20 under after a final-round 68 at St. Andrews' Old Course.
When was Adrian Meronk's last professional win before this?
His previous win came at a LIV Golf event in Riyadh in 2025. Sunday's result was his first DP World Tour title since 2023.
Is Adrian Meronk still playing LIV Golf?
His LIV Golf contract has expired. Meronk has said he is weighing his options as LIV's future remains uncertain, while prioritizing his DP World Tour status.
Where does Meronk stand in the Race to Dubai?
The win moved him to 38th in the standings, inside the cutoff required to keep DP World Tour membership for 2027.
- adrian meronk
- alfred dunhill links championship
- dp world tour
- race to dubai
- st andrews old course
- liv golf
- casey jarvis
