Tag: Ludvig Aberg

Ludvig Aberg answers the question what language does he curse in on the course — Swedish or English — among 5 things to know after Round 3 at the RSM Classic

Catch up on Saturday’s action here.

ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. – Ludvig Aberg had wrapped up his post-round interview with Golf Channel and it was time move on to the next stop in the car wash of media hits. But Aberg, the 24-year-old Swedish golfer out of Texas Tech, stopped in his tracks when he caught a glimpse of Golf Channel showing his SportsCenter Top-10 worthy highlight of his hole-out birdie from 76 feet at 14.

“I want to see that,” he said, flashing a devilish grin.

It was a beauty, part of a five-hole stretch, beginning with birdie at 13 and including an eagle at 15, in which he played 6 under. On a picture-perfect warm Saturday on the Golden Isles, Aberg signed for 9-under 61 at Sea Island Resort’s Seaside Course to take a one-stroke lead over Eric Cole at the RSM Classic heading into the final round.

Cole, a 35-year-old rookie, matched Aberg with a 61, which included five birdies and an eagle on the back nine. It took Cole years of perseverance and winning more than 50 times on the Minor League Golf Tour before he made it to the big time. He’s the only rookie in the 2022-23 class who qualified for the BMW Championship, finishing No. 43 in the FedExCup standings, is on track to surpass $5 million in earnings this season and arguably the favorite for PGA Tour Rookie of the Year. Fifty years ago, his mother, Laura Baugh, won the equivalent award on the LPGA Tour.

Aberg, in contrast, has been a sensation, turning pro as the No. 1-ranked amateur and becoming the first player to join the Tour directly out of college by finishing No. 1 in the PGA Tour University Ranking. He won on the DP World Tour in September, was selected as a captain’s pick for the European Ryder Cup team and hasn’t finished worse than T-14 in his last four starts.

Both Aberg and Cole have lost in a playoff this season – Aberg at the Sanderson Farms Championship in October and Cole at the Honda Classic in February. If either were to win on Sunday, it likely would sway the vote for Rookie of the Year in their favor.

Aberg and Cole played together earlier this year at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, where Aberg was still an amateur, and in the final round of the John Deere Classic, where Aberg shot a sizzling 63. Cole was asked if he knew whether Aberg cursed in Swedish or English when he hit a bad shot and Cole smiled.

“When I played with him, there’s not much to swear about. He was playing pretty well, so I think I didn’t get any taste of that,” he said.

Not long after Aberg watched his highlight reel hole-out at 14, he settled the debate by saying that he curses his rare misfired shots in Swedish. Did he drop any explicit words during Saturday’s scintillating 61, which lifted him to a 54-hole total of 20-under 192?

“I think after my drive on 14 I probably said something inappropriate,” he admitted.

But given that he’s bogey-free for 54 holes and 74 holes in all stretching to a bogey made in his previous start while carding 26 birdies and two eagles, he’s had little reason to complain.

Ludvig Aberg leads, Matt Atkins gets emotional among 5 things from Friday at 2023 RSM Classic

Another week, another strong start for Sweden’s Aberg.

ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. — Another week, another strong start for Sweden’s Ludvig Aberg.

The rookie sensation and European Ryder Cupper didn’t turn pro until after the NCAA Championship in May but won in September on the DP World Tour and has been threatening to do the same on the PGA Tour. He’s down to his last chance before the calendar flips as he grabbed the 36-hole lead at the RSM Classic on Friday with a bogey-free 6-under 64 at the Sea Island Resort’s Seaside Course.

“I consider myself very, very fortunate to be in this position and I view it as a privilege to be able to feel that kind of pressure and tension and nervousness,” he said. “It’s not something that I want to back down from. I want to keep doing what I’m doing and hit good golf shots and make putts.”

2023 RSM Classic
Ludvig Aberg plans a shot from the 16th tee during the second round of the 2023 RSM Classic on the Seaside Course at Sea Island Resort in St Simons Island, Georgia. (Photo: Alex Slitz/Getty Images)

Aberg drained a 20-foot birdie putt at the last to take a one-stroke lead over Eric Cole, Denny McCarthy and Sam Ryder at 11-under 131. It marked Aberg’s first 36-hole lead or co-lead and lowest opening 36-hole score in what is his 11th start on Tour as a professional. How comfortable does he feel being in front?

“I think I’ve been in the lead a few times, and every time you do it, it gets easier,” he said.

Here are four more things to know about the second round of the RSM Classic.

Eric Cole keeps making birdies, Davis Thompson trying to win in backyard and Ludvig Aberg in hunt among RSM Classic first-round takeaways

Here’s everything you need to know.

ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. — Laura Baugh waited outside the entrance to the men’s locker room at Sea Island Resort to hug and kiss her son, Eric Cole, on the cheek and congratulate him on a fast start Thursday at the RSM Classic. Baugh, who was the 1973 LPGA’s Rookie of the Year, smiled and said, “Good playing, honey.”

Fifty years after his mother won her award, Cole is one of the top contenders for Rookie of the Year honors on the PGA Tour. Of the chances of there being two award winners in the same family, he said, “I think it would be very cool. I don’t know if that’s ever happened before, so it’s something that would be really special and something that it would be a cool thing to share with her.”

Cole’s dream rookie season on the Tour is off to a good start for a happy ending. He made eight birdies during the rain-delayed opening round to shoot 6-under 66 at Sea Island Golf Club’s Plantation Course as he seeks his first Tour title at the final of 54 events during the 2022-23 wraparound season.

2023 RSM Classic
Eric Cole waits on the 16th hole during the first round of the 2023 RSM Classic on the Plantation Course at Sea Island Resort in St Simons Island, Georgia. (Photo: Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)

Cole, whose father, Bobby, played on the Tour in the 1970s and won one time, didn’t make it to the Tour until this season at age 35. He even took a break from competitive golf for a while, teaching and caddying occasionally for friend Sam Saunders, the grandson of Arnold Palmer.

“When I was teaching I realized like if I don’t ever make it to the PGA Tour and have success, then my life is still going to be OK, it’s no big deal,” he said. “So it almost took a little pressure off me taking a step away and being like if I make it, great, but if I don’t, my life will still be OK.”

Last year, Cole graduated from the Korn Ferry Tour, where he earned $221,637, by finishing in the top 25 on the season-long points list. He has made up for lost time, earning nearly $5 million in his rookie campaign while recording 13 top-25 finishes. Cole nearly won in February at the Honda Classic, losing in a playoff, and has three top 4s in his last four starts.

Cole has been a birdie machine this season. He already has set a record for circles on his card in a single season, increasing his total to 534 on Thursday.

“I think I tend to play pretty aggressively, so I make a decent amount of birdies, and then I’m just trying to not make too many bogeys,” he explained.

In the first round, he limited the bogeys to two – at Nos. 4 and 17 – but finished with birdies on four of his final five holes to share the early lead with Cameron Young and Davis Thompson. [UPDATE: Austin Eckroat and Denny McCarthy shared the first-round lead 7-under 65s on Plantation Course when play was completed on Friday morning.] For Cole, his birdie on 15 was the highlight of the day after a loose drive at the par 4.

“Had to wedge it over the trees and hit it close to a back pin, so that was kind of a bonus birdie,” he said.

The start of the first round was delayed for more than an hour and a second delay cleared the course at 1:45 p.m. ET in the middle of the round. Play resumed at 4:18 p.m. ET and was called for the day at 5:17 p.m. ET due to darkness with only 65 players having completed their rounds.

Cole isn’t only hoping to pad his case to be Rookie of the Year. He entered the week No. 48 in the Official World Golf Ranking and the top 50 at the end of the year earn invites to the Masters. Cole’s mom lived in Augusta, Georgia, while she taught at a nearby course, but he has never been on property yet.

“I’ve driven past the front entrance, but that’s it,” he said. “It’s something that if I keep doing those little things right, then hopefully that will be the result.”

The first round is scheduled to resume at 8 a.m. ET. Second round tee times have been pushed back from 8 a.m. to 9:15 a.m. ET.

No one will be surprised if Ludvig Aberg earns first PGA Tour win this week on Tiger Woods’ first course

Is it any wonder that Aberg is considered the favorite in Los Cabos, Mexico?

CABO SAN LUCAS, Mexico — If Swedish golfer Ludvig Aberg were a stock, longtime NBC Sports golf commentator Roger Maltbie said he’d be buying as many shares as he could get his hands on.

“The power he’s got, seems like he’s got a lot of wedge game, too, and putting, he seems to have pretty much all the pieces,” Maltbie said. “So right now, I’d say he’s got the biggest upside.”

A little more than four months ago, Aberg, who celebrated his 24th birthday on Halloween, completed a decorated amateur career at Texas Tech. The top-ranked amateur in the world swept college golf’s three player-of-the-year awards and became the first player to earn Tour membership through PGA Tour University, which will carry through the 2024 season.

In just his fourth start as a PGA Tour pro, Aberg earned a top-10 finish. Two months later, he notched his first pro win, making four birdies in his final five holes to shoot 64 and claim the Omega European Masters in Switzerland.

“Playing well over the back nine gave me a belief that I can do it and I can do it on this stage,” he said after his victory.

Indeed, he can. European Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald named him one of his wild card picks for Rome, becoming the first player ever to play in a Ryder Cup before ever teeing it up in a major championship. Aberg played ably, including teaming with FedEx Cup champion Viktor Hovland to trounce world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and reigning PGA Championship winner Brooks Koepka, 9 and 7 in a foursomes (alternate-shot) match.

“I just tried to put the ball on the green and my work was done,” said Hovland of his foursomes partner’s prowess with the short stick that day.

In his next start, Aberg rallied on Sunday to force a playoff at the Sanderson Farms Championship and went low again in Las Vegas, closing with 62 to finish T-13. Is it any wonder that he’s considered the favorite this week at the World Wide Technology Championship in Los Cabos, Mexico?

“He’s just getting on his road. He’s just starting to write his history,” Donald said. “I think he’s a generational talent.”

Count four-time major winner Rory McIlroy as another admirer.

“Everyone talks about what a great driver of the golf ball he is,” McIlroy said of Aberg during the Ryder Cup. “But I was really impressed with his wedge play and how he can sort of control his trajectory with shorter clubs. I was on the bandwagon before. Certainly at the front of it now.”

While much of the field is trying to lock up playing privileges for the 2024 season, Aberg is joined in the field by world No. 17 Cameron Young, who is making his first start of the FedEx Cup Fall, as well as Sahith Theegala, who won for the first time at the Fortinet Championship in September, and Lucas Glover, who won twice in August.

The tournament has shifted from one sun-drenched resort destination – it previously was held near Cancun at Mayakoba Resort – to another and will be contested at El Cardonal at Diamante, the first time a golf course designed by Tiger Woods is hosting a PGA Tour event. On Tuesday, Woods paid a visit to the first course he designed, which opened in 2014.

He might want to check out the uber-talented Aberg, who has rocketed to No. 58 in the world and with another good result this week he could surge into the top 50 and potentially earn a berth in the Masters. The quickest path to a trip down Magnolia Lane in April? A win this week south of the border.

Given his meteoric rise since turning pro, no one would be surprised if he made his maiden victory on the Tour his latest conquest.

Stat

60. That’s how many PGA Tour winners are in the field. Matt Kuchar and Brandt Snedeker lead the way with nine victories to their credit, while Sahith Theegala is the last player in the field to notch his first win at the Fortinet Championship.

Keep an eye on…

Maverick McNealy. He is making his first start since the RBC Canadian Open in June. He missed nearly five months while dealing with a left shoulder injury.

Cameron Young. He is the highest-ranked player in the field at No. 17 in the world and is making his first start on the PGA Tour since the BMW Championship in August. Young is seeking his first Tour title.

(Editor’s note: The story was corrected to show that Aberg attended Texas Tech University.)

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2023 Shriners Children’s Open odds, course history and picks to win

Aberg has finished T-10 and T-2 in his last two starts.

The PGA Tour is back in Las Vegas this week for the 2023 Shriners Children’s Open at TPC Summerlin.

The defending champion Tom Kim returns to Sin City hoping to go back-to-back. Since finishing tied for 20th at the Tour Championship, Kim has finished T-18 at the BMW PGA Championship and T-6 at the French Open on the DP World Tour.

He’s joined in the field by European Ryder Cupper Ludvig Aberg — T-2 at the Sanderson Farms Championship last week — Si Woo Kim, Cam Davis, J.T. Poston and Chicken Open winner Luke List.

This week’s winner will earn $1.512 million and 500 FedEx Cup points.

Golf course

TPC Summerlin | Par 71 | 7,255 yards

2022 Shriners Children's Open
Patrick Cantlay putts on the 16th green during the final round of the 2022 Shriners Children’s Open at TPC Summerlin in Las Vegas. (Photo: Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images)

Course history

Betting preview

2023 Sanderson Farms Championship Thursday tee times, how to watch

Everything you need to know for the PGA Tour’s return.

After a two-week hiatus for international team play the PGA Tour is back in action this week down south.

Mackenzie Hughes is back to defend his title at the 2023 Sanderson Farms Championship at the Country Club of Jackson in Mississippi, where the field will compete for an $8.2 million purse. The Sanderson Farms is the second of seven FedEx Cup Fall events, which will finalize eligibility for the 2024 PGA Tour Season (more on that here).

From tee times to TV and streaming info, here’s everything you need to know for the first round of the 2023 Sanderson Farms Championship at the Country Club of Jackson. All times listed are ET.

Thursday tee times

1st tee

Time Players
8:00 a.m. Kevin Tway, William McGirt, Carson Young
8:11 a.m. Ben Crane, Zac Blair, Matt NeSmith
8:22 a.m. Nate Lashley, Cameron Percy, Henrik Norlander
8:33 a.m. Richy Werenski, Tyler Duncan, Troy Merritt
8:44 a.m. Robert Streb, Martin Laird, Lanto Griffin
8:55 a.m. Emiliano Grillo, Ryan Brehm, Garrick Higgo
9:06 a.m. Kevin Streelman, Harry Higgs, Robby Shelton
9:17 a.m. Greg Chalmers, Will Gordon, Ben Taylor
9:28 a.m. Dylan Frittelli, Brian Stuard, Vince Whaley
9:39 a.m. Adam Long, Russell Knox, Callum Tarren
9:50 a.m. Michael Gligic, Scott Harrington, Fred Biondi
10:01 a.m. Tano Goya, Greg Sonnier, Chris Baker
12:55 p.m. Jimmy Walker, S.Y. Noh, Hank Lebioda
1:06 p.m. Chris Stroud, Sam Ryder, Harrison Endycott
1:17 p.m. Ryan Armour, Alex Smalley, Dylan Wu
1:28 p.m. Erik van Rooyen, Joel Dahmen, Brandt Snedeker
1:39 p.m. Lee Hodges, Davis Riley, Chad Ramey
1:50 p.m. Akshay Bhatia, Adam Svensson, Ludvig Åberg
2:01 p.m. Alex Noren, Beau Hossler, Eric Cole
2:12 p.m. Jason Dufner, Camilo Villegas, D.J. Trahan
2:23 p.m. Ryan Moore, Doc Redman, Matthias Schwab
2:34 p.m. Ricky Barnes, Stephan Jaeger, Sam Stevens
2:45 p.m. Matti Schmid, Kevin Roy, Sam Bennett
2:56 p.m. Augusto Núñez, Ryan Gerard, Ross Steelman

10th tee

Time Players
8:00 a.m. Doug Ghim, Kramer Hickok, Paul Haley II
8:11 a.m. Kelly Kraft, S.H. Kim, Davis Thompson
8:22 a.m. Hayden Buckley, Justin Lower, Zecheng Dou
8:33 a.m. Nick Hardy, Chez Reavie, Trey Mullinax
8:44 a.m. K.H. Lee, Tom Hoge, Kevin Kisner
8:55 a.m. Mackenzie Hughes, Cameron Champ, Scott Stallings
9:06 a.m. Patton Kizzire, Greyson Sigg, Andrew Novak
9:17 a.m. Wesley Bryan, Mark Hubbard, Christiaan Bezuidenhout
9:28 a.m. Kevin Chappell, Nick Watney, Ben Griffin
9:39 a.m. Scott Piercy, Ted Potter Jr., Max McGreevy
9:50 a.m. Brent Grant, Kyle Westmoreland, Chase Parker
10:01 a.m. Nicholas Lindheim, Brett White, Ford Clegg
12:55 p.m. C.T. Pan, Martin Trainer, Scott Brown
1:06 p.m. Charley Hoffman, Ben Martin, Jonathan Byrd
1:17 p.m. Brice Garnett, Harry Hall, MJ Daffue
1:28 p.m. Luke List, Lucas Herbert, Jim Herman
1:39 p.m. Brian Gay, Andrew Landry, Keith Mitchell
1:50 p.m. Jonas Blixt, Peter Malnati, Chesson Hadley
2:01 p.m. Sung Kang, Cody Gribble, Tommy Gainey
2:12 p.m. Ryan Palmer, Satoshi Kodaira, Austin Smotherman
2:23 p.m. Austin Cook, David Lipsky, Tyson Alexander
2:34 p.m. Sean O’Hair, Brandon Wu, Kevin Yu
2:45 p.m. Trevor Cone, Brandon Matthews, Peter Kuest
2:56 p.m. Carl Yuan, Trevor Werbylo, Zack Fischer

How to watch, listen

ESPN+ is the exclusive home of PGA Tour Live. There is no PGA Tour Live coverage of the third and final rounds of the 2023 Sanderson Farms Championship.

Thursday, Oct. 5

Golf Channel/Peacock: 4-7 p.m.

ESPN+: 8:30 a.m.-7 p.m.

Sirius XM: 1-7 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 6

Golf Channel/Peacock: 4-7 p.m.

ESPN+: 8:30 a.m.-7 p.m.

Sirius XM: 1-7 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 7

Golf Channel/Peacock: 4-7 p.m.

Sirius XM: 2-7 p.m.

Sunday, Oct. 8

Golf Channel/Peacock: 4-7 p.m.

Sirius XM: 2-7 p.m.

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Highlights from Team Europe’s epic 2023 Ryder Cup celebration in Italy

The Europeans sure know how to party.

“Rome wasn’t built in a day. But it was conquered in three.”

That was one of many posts on the Ryder Cup Europe social media accounts to celebrate the team’s 16½-11½ win over the United States in the 44th playing of the biennial bash, held this year at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club near Rome, Italy.

The team celebrations with the Cup in the hours and days that follow are always fun to see, and European captain Luke Donald foreshadowed what would be a fun night in his interview with Golf Channel’s Cara Banks just minutes after Europe secured the Cup.

“We always do it right in Europe, we do it right,” said Donald with a smile. “We’ll have a few drinks.”

Did they ever.

The chants started with “Two more years!” for the captain and transitioned to cheers of “Ole! Ole! Ole!” and songs of victory on the team bus. Check out the highlights from Team Europe’s epic Ryder Cup celebrations.

MORE: Changes afoot for USA | How each player fared | Future sites

2023 Ryder Cup Sunday singles matches, tee times feature must-watch showdowns

Set your alarms because you won’t want to miss these final matches.

Set your alarms, folks. You don’t want to miss these final 12 matches of the 2023 Ryder Cup.

European captain Luke Donald and American captain Zach Johnson announced their picks for the 12 Sunday singles matches and a handful are appointment television, no matter the time.

Team Europe holds a 10½-5½ lead after the first four sessions, but the momentum appears to have swung back toward the U.S. after the Americans claimed Saturday fourballs, 3-1. The Europeans need four points to win the Cup, while the U.S. needs at least 8½ to retain.

Check out who’s playing who in the final 12 singles matches of the 2023 Ryder Cup at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club.

Ryder Cup: Tournament hub | Photos

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Europe inches closer to winning 2023 Ryder Cup, but U.S. wins Saturday fourballs session to maintain glimmer of hope

The Americans have some work to do Sunday to retain the Cup.

ROME – For the first time at the 44th Ryder Cup, the U.S. won a session at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club.

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After winning the Saturday afternoon fourballs 3-1, the U.S. trails 10 ½ to 5 ½ and will need to erase the largest deficit in Ryder Cup history if it is going to retain the Cup.

But we’re saying there’s a chance, especially after Patrick Cantlay birdied the final two holes, including a 30-foot birdie putt at 18, to flip his match.

“Hopefully have a ray of light and we can build on this session and try and pull off a big victory tomorrow,” Cantlay said.

Two years ago, the U.S. led 11-5 at Whistling Straits before cruising to a 19-9 victory. No team has rallied from more than a 10-6 deficit, but the U.S. only needs to reach 14 points to retain the Cup. In both 1999 and 2012, the winning side earned 8 ½ points in Sunday singles.

The U.S. showed some life winning the first two matches, but the Euros bounced back to win the third match and inch closer to extending the U.S. losing streak on European soil, which dates to 1993. It looked as if it would be a split of the session. That is until Cantlay’s heroics.

“Feels like we have momentum and we go kind of into the locker room laughing a little bit which just feels good,” Max Homa said.

Here’s a recap of all four matches.

Ryder Cup: Tournament hub | Photos | Fans

Europe expands Ryder Cup lead over United States after Saturday foursomes thanks to historic match win

The Europeans are cruising through the Ryder Cup.

ROME – There was more blue on the board on Saturday morning.

Team Europe extended its lead in the 44th Ryder Cup to 9½- 2½ after Saturday morning’s foursomes session, winning three of the four matches. That included Norway’s Viktor Hovland and Sweden’s Ludvig Aberg trouncing the American team of Scottie Scheffler and Brooks Koepka, 9 and 7, the worst loss in Ryder Cup history in any 18-hole match, regardless of format.

There was no let up in the European side after opening a five-point lead after the first day. They won three of four matches and seven of eight in the foursomes format. It ties the largest lead after three sessions since the Ryder Cup switched to the five-session format in 1963. (The U.S. led by seven in both 1967 and 1975.)

“Last night we talked about enjoying what we did yesterday but coming out and showing no mercy today,” McIlroy said. “Obviously the way Ludvig and Viktor started off and the way we started off, you know, that set the tone for the day again.”

It was a bloodbath for the Americans and for those fans who woke up early in hopes of seeing a valiant comeback, they were better off hitting the snooze as the Americans were thrown to the lions in Rome.