REPORTS: JON RAHM CLOSING IN ON WORLD NO.16 AS ADRIAN MERONK AGREES LIV DEAL

According to reports, Adrian Meronk of Poland has reached an agreement to join the lucrative LIV Golf League in exchange for giving up his PGA Tour card.

According to reports, Adrian Meronk of Poland has reached an agreement to join the lucrative LIV Golf League, giving up the PGA Tour card he earned on the DP World Tour last season.

Rumours Meronk had agreed a deal to join LIV Golf began on Wednesday after the 6ft 6ins golfer mysteriously withdrew from the Farmers Insurance Open.

Meronk, 30, later claimed on his Instagram stories that he was feeling unwell.

But reports from The Times of London and SI’s Bob Harig claim Meronk, who many believed should have been selected for the 2023 European Ryder Cup team, has agreed a switch to the Saudi-backed breakaway.

It is thought that Meronk will join Martin Kaymer’s Cleeks outfit, taking the last place on the team that includes England’s Richard Bland and the Finnish pro Kalle Samooja.

Samooja, 35, earned his spot onto the 2024 LIV Golf League via the qualifying school event the circuit held last December.

Meronk was one of 10 players who earned their PGA Tour cards via the DP World Tour last season.

If true, the news will be difficult for the DP World Tour to swallow given Meronk was recently named as the European-based circuit’s player of the year ahead of Rory McIlroy.

SI have also reported LIV are closing on in a deal to sign the World No.16 Tyrrell Hatton.

Hatton’s camp are said to be in advanced negotiations although the deal is yet to be signed.

Furthermore, Hatton recently committed to the Waste Management Phoenix Open, which is noteworthy.

The Englishman would join Jon Rahm’s unnamed LIV team as part of the Hatton deal.

Rahm’s squad is reportedly going to be known as Legion XIII.

Before the Dubai Desert Classic, Hatton was questioned about rumors that he was involved with a switch.

He seemed to imply that he would be amenable to a LIV move alongside Tommy Fleetwood.

When asked by reporters if he was happy plying his trade on the PGA and DP World Tour, he said: “As of right now, yeah.”

He added: “I’d say there’s several people have had conversations [and] I think that’s part and parcel of golf at the moment, but I’m quite happy playing PGA Tour and DP World Tour.”

LIV Golf teams 2024:

4Aces

Dustin Johnson
Patrick Reed
Pat Perez
Harold Varner III
Cleeks

Martin Kaymer
Richard Bland
Expected: Kalle Samooja
Adrian Meronk (reported)

Crushers

Bryson DeChambeau
Anirban Lahiri
Charles Howell III
Paul Casey
Fireballs

Sergio Garcia
Abraham Ancer
Eugenio Chacarra
David Puig
HyFlyers

Phil Mickelson
Brendan Steele
Cameron Tringale
Andy Ogletree
Iron Heads

Kevin Na
Danny Lee
Scott Vincent
Expected: Jinichiro Kozuma
Majesticks

Ian Poulter
Lee Westwood
Henrik Stenson
Sam Horsfield
RangeGoats

Bubba Watson
Matthew Wolff
Thomas Pieters
Peter Uihlein
Ripper

Cameron Smith
Marc Leishman
Matt Jones
Expected: Lucas Herbert

Smash

Brooks Koepka
Graeme McDowell
Jason Kokrak
Talor Gooch
Stinger

Louis Oosthuizen
Dean Burmester
Branden Grace
Charl Schwartzel

Torque

Joaquin Niemann
Sebastian Munoz
Mito Pereira
Carlos Ortiz
Legion XIII

Jon Rahm
Expected: Caleb Surratt
Expected: Kieran Vincent
TBC