Glover reignites Ryder Cup pay talk as Meronk wins fourth DP World title in 15 months

SAN ROQUE, SPAIN - OCTOBER 22: Adrian Meronk of Poland celebrates with the trophy after winning the Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucía Masters at Real Club de Golf Sotogrande on October 22, 2023 in San Roque, Spain. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)

Ryder Cup rejects Adrian Meronk and Lucas Glover made noise on and off the course as details of the fractured U.S. team room continued to leak out.

As Meronk eased the disappointment of being denied a wildcard by Luke Donald by making two eagles in a closing 66 to win the Estrella Damm Andalucia Masters by a shot to clinch his third win of the season, Glover's comments in the money talk in the fractured U.S. team room were going viral.

Reports in Rome suggested there was dissension in the U.S. team room led by Patrick Cantlay, who later denied he was not wearing a hat in protest at players not being paid.

U.S. captain Zach Johnson and his vice captains vehemently denied the team was fractured over the issue.

But 2009 U.S. Open champion Glover, who had a strong case for a pick for Rome, said on SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio he was heartbroken to hear about trouble in the U.S. ranks from people who were there.

"It broke my heart the week after to hear about how splintered the room was and things about money and different things," Glover said.

"That's not at all what the Ryder Cup stands for. And I'm not just going on what I've read and been told; I've talked to some people who were there in the fight, and it breaks my heart to hear that because that's not what it's about; that's not what it stands for, and it's not why I want to play on that team."

Glover added: "It's easy to say three weeks after, two weeks after, and unfortunately, they lost, but yeah I would have liked to have been there.

"I think I could have brought some different things to the table."

Meronk said he was "shocked, sad and angry" not to be named as one of Donald's six picks after following last year's Irish Open and Australian Open wins with another at Ryder Cup venue Marco Simone in this year's Italian Open.

But after coming from x shots behind to win at Real Club de Sotogrande yesterday, he now hopes he has proved all his doubters wrong as tops the list of 10 players on course to win a PGA Tour card for next season.

"I'm just glad the Ryder Cup and all the talks about it are over," he said after following two bogeys in his first three holes with eagles at the par-five sixth and the 421-yard ninth, where he holed out from 121 yards, then raced home four under 32 to win by a shot from Germany's Matti Schmid on 16-under.

"I can just look to my game and then keep going forward and yeah, I mean, whoever doubted me, I hope I can prove them wrong. "

Up to third in the Race to Dubai after his fourth D.P. World Tour win and on course to win one of ten PGA Tour cards, he added: "I didn’t have my best golf on the first day so to be honest, to win that tournament is very special. My dad was here this week, same as Italy, so it’s super, super special and I’m over the moon.

“I knew it was going to be tricky all day. The weather was not very helpful with different wind, but I didn’t get off to a hot start. I was trying to talk to myself, in my mind to stay positive, and I knew I was hitting good shots on the range in the morning so I knew I had the game. I just stayed in it and the eagle on six gave me some momentum. I believed and stayed super focused until the last putt which I’m really proud of and my caddie as well. It was tricky going down the back nine with different wind, gusting, little bit of rain but I was super focused.

“My dad was with me this week again, when I won in Italy he was with me as well. This week is very special for him as well because he’s the person why I started playing golf. Very emotional for him I’m sure. Very happy to have another win this season, points on the board and I’m very, very happy.

“My goal at the end of the year was top three on the Race to Dubai. Obviously Rory and Rahm are quite a way ahead of us but I believe if I can play well in South Africa and the final then I can get some more points and move into the top two, we’ll see. I’m in a great position for a PGA TOUR card so I’ll just keep focussing on that and keep getting better.”

Tom McKibbin made five birdies in a closing 69 to finish tied 34th and remain 42nd in the Race to Dubai and on track to qualify for the season-ending D.P. World Tour Championship in Dubai.

On the PGA Tour, Collin Morikawa ended his two-year drought when he closed with a seven-under 63 to win the ZOZO Championship in Japan by six shots from Eric Cole and Beau Hossler.

It was his first win since he claimed the D.P. World Tour Championship in Dubai in November 2021, four months after his win in The Open at Sandwich.

Meanwhile, Stephanie Meadow closed with a bogey-free 69 to tie for 48th behind Australia's Minjee Lee in the LPGA's BMW International in South Korea.

Left to regret a second-round 78, she finished 15 shots outside a playoff that saw Lee beat American namesake Alison Lee with a birdie at the first tie hole.

Meanwhile, Red Devils fan Rory McIlroy says he'd consider investing in Manchester United if the opportunity arises.

Praising the proposed involvement of Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who wants to purchase a 25 pc stake in the club, McIlroy told Sky Sports: "Sports team ownership used to be limited to private equity and people who had a ton of money.

"But now sports stars are becoming more savvy and using their money in the right way.

"I would love to be able to own a tiny percentage of the club I grew up cheering on as a boy.

"I would have loved to have taken 0.00001 per cent of Manchester United when Jim Ratcliffe took 25 per cent. And if another opportunity comes my way, I will look at it. But it is not something that has come across our table as of yet."

McIlroy, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Juan Mata and Anthony Joshua have all recently invested in F1 team Alpine.

"There is Tom Brady at Birmingham and there are a few golfers – Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas – who invested with the 49ers Group, and they own a tiny slice of Leeds," McIlroy added.

"They asked me if I wanted to come on board, and I said, as a Man United fan, I cannot go anywhere near that!

"Sir Jim has got a great track record and everybody that does support United should be excited by the possibilities if they give him full sporting authority and decisions for the club. As a fan, I am excited."