THE MODERATOR: Let's welcome our clubhouse leader, Adrian Meronk from Cleeks GC. You shot a bogey-free 10-under round. Tell us a little bit about your round.
ADRIAN MERONK: Yeah, it was just a very solid round of golf. I really enjoyed it out there. The weather was great. Setup was good. Yeah, it was just, to be honest, stress-free 10-under. I played brilliantly today.
Q. Tell us about your first time playing a professional round under the lights. Was it different, obviously, more challenging, less challenging than you thought?
ADRIAN MERONK: Yeah, it was definitely different, but I kind of prepared well last week. I played a couple of rounds of night golf in Dubai, and then obviously this week we had three days to prepare.
I think I did a good job to get used to the lights, the shadows, and reading greens. I really enjoy it. It's a lot of fun.
Q. Tom was also practicing under the lights in Dubai. You guys both played incredibly well. Do you think that preparation under the lights made a big difference for this week?
ADRIAN MERONK: Definitely, because it makes a big difference, especially around the greens and on the greens. It's hard to see the breaks, sometimes the shadows on your way. Sometimes you move and the shadow moves with you so you cannot see the ball.
Yeah, you can get used to it, and I'm happy how I prepared for this tournament.
Q. Over this off-season, the preparation, work you put in, were you really expecting to come out and make a statement at the beginning of the season?
ADRIAN MERONK: As soon as we finished the season last year, I really worked hard with my coach on a couple of swing changes, and it took me a while to get the results in, but I'm happy it started here in Riyadh. I'm excited for the future because I really like how my golf game is shaping up. It feels much more comfortable, and I can control the ball much easier.
It's a lot of fun playing like that.
Q. Obviously last year was your first year out here, and if I remember correctly, you flew into Mayakoba the week of, really threw you right into the fire. You obviously have a year of LIV under your belt. You've put in the work in the off-season. Do you feel comfortable and at home out here now, and do you think that's also making a difference?
ADRIAN MERONK: Yeah, it's a big difference. Last year was a very stressful beginning of the year for me, definitely, and this year I know what to expect. I feel like home, and I love it. I love being on LIV. I really enjoy it. It was such a long break since our last tournament, but it's great to be back, and I'm excited for the season.
Q. The Cleeks have a new member of the team this year. You guys have Freddy on your team now. Obviously your game is in great shape. Martin has been healing and getting stronger. Blandy obviously had a great season last year. What can we expect from the Cleeks in 2025?
ADRIAN MERONK: Yeah, I think we'll be a great team. Frederik has been a great addition to our team. He's a great player, young blood. He's hungry. We've played some good practice rounds together, and he's a great guy. We really have a great team chemistry, really enjoy each other every week, every day.
I think you can expect a lot from us. I hope we can win a couple of times and see what happens.
Q. Adrian, was there ever a time out there on the course where you had to make any kind of adjustment for the night golf? Did it just feel like it was a regular round of golf?
ADRIAN MERONK: No, as I said, I feel like I prepared quite well this week and last week to be ready for this tournament. It just felt quite flawless, to be honest. It was really a lot of solid shots, and I was executing what I saw in my head. It was a lot of fun playing like that.
Q. There were no difficulties for you at all on the greens, reading the greens; did you find it was actually maybe easier with the lights?
ADRIAN MERONK: Maybe not easier, but I think the way I'm reading the greens using AimPoint, it helps a lot because you don't have to use your use. You just use your feel, your feet to read the breaks, so I think that helps for sure.
But yeah, I focused really hard on pace of the greens, practicing pace of the greens every day, and my pace has been really good today, so I think that's the key in night golf.
Q. What was your best shot today?
ADRIAN MERONK: There was a lot of good shots. Probably 5-iron on No. 6. I hit it from like 250 yards into 20 feet. I didn't make the eagle, but easy birdie.
Q. Can you tell us about the weather as a factor; how did it play today, and was it any problem?
ADRIAN MERONK: No, I think it was the hottest day today. It felt really hot out there. I felt like the ball was flying much further today. I noticed on the range when I was warming up that the ball was flying at least one club longer.
I think the fact that we are, I think, 2000 feet above the sea level and also that it was hot, we had to make that kind of adjustment on the course. But on the range we already knew the ball was going further, so that's what we did with my caddie. We adjusted on the course and played usually one club less, and seems like it worked quite well.
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