Aberg Sensationally Posts Back-To-Back 61s To Capture Maiden PGA Tour Title

6 months ago by Comments Off on Aberg Sensationally Posts Back-To-Back 61s To Capture Maiden PGA Tour Title

Swedish sensation Ludvig Aberg senationally posted back-to-back 61s to secure a four-shot, record-smashing 29-under victory at the RSM Classic at Sea Island in Georgia.

Not only did the recently-turned 24-year-old win the final event of the PGA Tour season, he did it in record fashion with his final birdie alllowing Aberg to tie the 72-hole scoring record on the PGA Tour, matching the 253 of Justin Thomas at the 2017 Sony Open.

His 61-61 finish also set the tour record for lowest closing 36 holes, beating by one the mark shared by Aussie Matt Jones at Kapalua in 2022 and Patrick Rodgers at Sea Island in 2019, and this in being a pro for just six months.

Even more remarkable it was just some six weeks ago that Aberg broke through on the European Tour, winning the Omega European Masters and a success that clearly helped secure his place as a ‘wildcard’ pick in Luke Donald’s European Ryder Cup side.

Aberg had been leading by just two shots with a few holes to play but sealed victory by four shots in birdieing the closing two holes, and much the delight of the Swede, who has now won four times in his very short pro career.

“I’m super happy. It’s kind of beyond my dreams,” said Aberg.

“It’s really cool. To first off play on the PGA Tour, I have a lot of people to thank for that. It’s been so much fun, six months that I’ll never forget.

“This is what you dream of as a kid. This is the sport that I love and the sport that I’m going to love for a very long time. Watching these events from a very young age is what I’ve done so to see myself win is really cool.

“It validates my skill set and my capabilities. If you told me (I’d achieve) this a couple of months ago I would not have believed you. To be in this position I need to pinch myself in the arm.

“It’s really awesome and I’m so happy for me and my team and all the people that are close to me.”

Aberg earned a whopping $1,512,000 first prize cheque along with a two-year Tour exemption to the end of 2025, and that is a same exemption in winning the DP World Tour’s Omega European Masters only six weeks ago, plus he’s also earned coveted spots in The Players Championship, the Sentry Tournament of Champions and the Masters.

The 2024 Masters will be Aberg’s first major championship and, no doubt, the first of many more.

He crushed the RSM Classic tournament record of 22-under held by Talor Gooch (2021) and Kevin Kisner (2015) and posted the lowest score on the PGA Tour this season, easily beating the 23-under 257 shot by Keegan Bradley in the Travelers Championship.

Aberg had shot 18-under on the weekend to also break Patrick Rodgers’ 2018 record of 17-under.

At the start of the week, and in what is the last ‘regular’ 2023 PGA Tour, there had been much talk as to who would finish top-125 and retain full 2024 membership while there was lesser discussion who would be honoured with the Arnold Palmer ‘Rookie of the Year’ award.

Aberg had no concern for the first news item as after only just a handful of PGA Tour events he arrived on Simon’s Island with his 2024 PGA Tour playing rights assured in lying 96th on the money list but surely now the champion Swede has locked-in Arnie’s award.

Aberg went into the last day after achieving a first career 54-hole lead/co-lead on Tour and was out on day four for the first time playing in the final group in the final round.

On a scoring note, he posted a final round of 10 birdies, including back-to-back closing birdies, and also a lone bogey at the 12th hole that was the only bogey of his four days.

All up, Aberg recorded two eagles, 26 birdies and just the single bogey over the four days of the event played over two holes courses,

His pair of 61s are a shot lower than his previous Tour career-low: 62, R4/2023 Shriners Children’s Open while the rounds are the 12th occasion Aberg has shot lower than 65 or better since joining the PGA Tour as a member in June at the RBC Canadian Open.

Looking back now some 10-weeks, we can recall the shock news when Luke Donald announced he was picking Aberg as one of his two Rome ‘wildcard’ picks but then Aberg brilliantly delivered on the Marco Simone host course.  He partnered Viktor Hovland to victory in the opening foursomes session  and the same pair also thrashed world number one Scottie Scheffler and five-time major winner Brooks Koepka 9&7 on day two, a record margin for an 18-hole Ryder Cup match.

How smart does it make Donald look now?

Oh, forgot to mention Canadian MacKenzie Hughes (63) was runner-up at 25-under.

 

 

 



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