Late surge from Meronk to secure Irish Open title

Adrian Meronk gained four shots in his final four holes to secure the Horizon Irish Open at Mount Juliet in County Kilkenny.

The Poland golfer hit back-to-back birdies on 15 and 16 and followed it up with an eagle on 17 to move away from the field and take the trophy by three shots in Thomastown.

Meronk finished the tournament on 20 under with New Zealand's Ryan Fox taking second place on 17 under following a final round 64. South Africa's Thriston Lawrence was third, one shot back from Fox on 16 under par.

Shane Lowry played his way into the top ten with an impressive final round 67 to end the week in a share of ninth place.

Two birdies on the front nine saw Lowry turn in 34, before he got to four under for his round with back-to-back strokes gained on ten and eleven.

A solitary bogey arrived on the 12th hole, before the 2019 Open champion picked up two more birdies on the 14th and 17th to end the tournament on 12 under par.

Seamus Power also moved up the leaderboard, bouncing back from his disappointing Saturday by ending with another 68 – his third of the week with his third round 77 ruining his chances of competing in the final round.

Three birdies and an eagle on the par-five eighth hole for Power with just the one dropped shot in his round coming on the sixth hole as the Waterford man ended in a tie for 30th.

Joining Power on seven under was Padraig Harrington, who posted his fourth consecutive under-par round, ending with a 69.

It could have been so much better for the three-time major winner as Harrington opened with five birdies in a row and added a sixth on the eighth hole, turning in 30.

But a double bogey seven on the par-five tenth stopped Harrington in his tracks and two more dropped shots would follow on 16 and 18,