Dubai-based Adrian Meronk heads Down Under to defend the ISPS HANDA Australian Open title he won in such style last year
By Nick Tarratt, Khaleej Times Guest Golf Writer
All eyes of the world of golf and sport will be on one person this week – the return of Tiger Woods to tournament golf.
Rumours always surround him, both on and off the golf course, but the scorecard never lies.
Tiger Woods will compete in his first tournament since The Masters in April when he hosts this week’s HERO World Challenge in the Bahamas.
The field consists of 20 select players, but the questions being asked about Tiger will be:
How is his health? How is he walking? How is his game? Is this the start or the end of the next step in his golfing career?
And so much more.
This week is surely a huge test for Tiger, and a is indeed career career-defining week.
He has beaten the odds on so many occasions but at 47 -years old, the 15-time Major winner, 82-time PGA Tour winner and two-time Dubai Desert Classic winner, this is now one of the biggest weeks and stories in golf for 2023.
Let’s just sit back and watch.
Meanwhile, on the DP World Tour, on another dual week in both Australia and South Africa Dubai-based Adrian Meronk will defend his ISPS HANDA Australian Open title he won in such style last year. It was the first of three victories on the 2022 – 2023 Race to Dubai last season, earning him the No. 1 PGA Tour Card when he finished fourth on the Rankings only behind: Rory McIlroy, Nicolai Hojgaard and Jon Rahm.
Included in the strong field are Adam Scott, Robert MacIntyre, Marc Leishman and last week’s Fortinet Australian PGA champion, Min Woo Lee as well as Dubai Golden Visa Awardees Nicolas Colsaerts and Rafa Cabrera Bello.
American Michael Block, who had a sensational US PGA Championship earlier this year is also invited to play.
Meronk told Khaleej Times: “I came to Australia immediately after the DP World Tour Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates. Last week was to acclimatize to the jet lag and conditions and this week I was always going to defend.
“It is always nice to return to a tournament where you are the defending champion – it does not happen to any of us very often.”
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The Asian Tour is in Chinese Taipei, for the penultimate tournament of the season, before coming to Saudi Arabia in the Middle East for their final event, the $1 million Saudi Open presented by the Public Investment Fund at Riyadh Golf Club from December 14-17.
This Week’s schedule of events
PGA Tour
Thursday 30th November – Sunday 3rd December, 2023.
Hero World Challenge
Venue: Albany Golf Club, Bahamas
Purse: $3.5 million
DP World Tour
Thursday 30th November – Sunday 3rd December, 2023.
ISPS HANDA Australian Open
Venue: The Australian Golf Club & The Lakes Golf Club, Sydney, Australia
Purse: AUD$1.7 million
Thursday 30th November – Sunday 3rd December, 2023.
Investec South African Open
Venue: Blair Athol Golf & Equestrian Estate, Johannesburg, South Africa
Purse: $1.5 million
Asian Tour
Thursday 30th November – Sunday 3rd December, 2023.
Taiwan Glass Taifong Open
Venue: Taifong Golf Club, Changhua, Chinese Taipei
Purse: $400,000