World No. 39 calls in sick to PGA Tour. Is LIV Golf his next stop?

Adrian Meronk referred to as in sick. At about 9 a.m. ET Wednesday, he posted the information to his Instagram story, together with what appeared to be an image of his information from Whoop, a health tracker. 

Around that point, his workplace additionally confirmed that he wouldn’t be coming in.

“Adrian Meronk WD before the first round of the Farmers Insurance Open,” tweeted the communications division of the PGA Tour. “Erik Barnes is now in.”

And then got here the hypothesis. 

Followed by the studies. 

Meronk could also be out. He could also be off to LIV Golf. 

He might not be alone, both. 

As first reported by the Times’ Tom Kershaw and later reported by Sports Illustrated’s Bob Harig, Meronk will be a part of LIV forward of the Saudi-backed league’s season-opener next week — that means he’ll doubtless be suspended from the PGA Tour, with out by no means having performed a spherical as an official Tour member. The 30-year-old who grew up in Poland obtained his Tour card final yr after ending in the highest 10 in the season-long factors race on the DP World Tour.  

It was there the place Meronk received thrice final season, and, whereas he was left off the European Ryder Cup crew, he was voted by his friends because the DP World Tour’s participant of the yr. Last week, he completed second on the DP World Tour’s Dubai Desert Classic, and on Monday, he moved to a personal-best thirty ninth in the world golf rankings. 

Then, according to Golf Digest’s Evin Priest, Meronk flew out of Dubai, checked right into a lodge — and withdrew from the PGA Tour’s Farmers Insurance Open forward of Wednesday’s first spherical. Kershaw reported that Meronk’s agent wouldn’t remark, whereas Meronk posted the Whoop image to his Instagram story, together with a publish that learn: “Unfortunately I have to withdraw from @farmersinsopen due to illness.”

But later Wednesday, Kershaw and Harig then reported that Meronk would be a part of LIV, as part of the Martin Kaymer-captained Cleeks crew. 

Notably, although, there are extra spots open on LIV, together with on the potential crew guided by Jon Rahm, who shocked the golf world early final month and left the PGA Tour. And in accordance to each Kershaw and Harig, LIV could also be making a run at a participant who simply final week provided a pledge — although it sounded lukewarm — to keep on the PGA Tour: 

World No. 16 Tyrrell Hatton. 

Hatton memorably teamed with Rahm twice final yr as a part of the successful European Ryder Cup squad, and his identify has surfaced in regards to becoming a member of the Spaniard with LIV. Last week, although, with the Scotsman’s Martin Dempster, Hatton had this trade:

“I’d say there’s several people who have had conversations,” Hatton stated of LIV talks. “I think that’s part and parcel of golf at the moment, but I’m quite happy playing the PGA Tour and DP World Tour.”

Has he had these conversations? 

“I’ve just said that,” Hatton informed Dempster. “There’s a lot of people who have and I don’t think there is anything to shy away from.” 

But is he staying put? 

“As of right now, yeah,” Hatton informed Dempster.

Hatton additionally performed in Dubai final week, tying for thirty first, however he’s not in the sphere for the Farmers Insurance Open. On Wednesday, officers on the PGA Tour’s Waste Management Open stated that Hatton had committed to that occasion, to be performed in two weeks. 

Of course, all of this goes down because the PGA Tour and the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund — LIV Golf’s backer — proceed to negotiate a funding deal. Now, the Meronk and Hatton studies at the very least elevate some questions, primarily: 

— Does this point out in any respect the place the negotiations are headed?

— Does this imply in any respect that LIV Golf will probably be round for some time?

For now, we all know this:

— The Farmers Insurance Open’s second spherical begins Thursday. Meronk received’t be there. 

— LIV’s season opener begins next Friday in Mexico. Unless he’s nonetheless sick, Meronk will reportedly be there. Hatton is likely to be too. 

Nick Piastowski

Golf.com Editor

Nick Piastowski is a Senior Editor at Golf.com and Golf Magazine. In his function, he’s accountable for enhancing, writing and creating tales throughout the golf area. And when he’s not writing about methods to hit the golf ball farther and straighter, the Milwaukee native might be taking part in the sport, hitting the ball left, proper and brief, and consuming a chilly beer to wash away his rating. You can attain out to him about any of those subjects — his tales, his sport or his beers — at nick.piastowski@golf.com.