Golf-Meronk masters Scott to claim Australian Open title

FILE PHOTO: Golf - The 150th Open Championship - Old Course, St Andrews, Scotland, Britain - July 15, 2022 Poland's Adrian Meronk tees off on the 11th during the second round REUTERS/Andrew Boyers

MELBOURNE (Reuters) -Adam Scott's hopes of a second Australian Open crown crumbled in the heat and wind on Melbourne's 'Sandbelt' on Sunday as Polish trailblazer Adrian Meronk coolly closed out a five-stroke win in style at Victoria Golf Club.

South Africa's Ashleigh Buhai won the women's component of the inaugural dual gender event by a stroke from Shin Jiyai, the South Korean missing a five-foot birdie putt that would have forced a playoff.