Four days post the year’s first major championship and it was a tale of two Swedes – Ludwig Aberg and Henrik Stenson.
Aberg the exciting 26-year-old once again continues to stamp his presence as one of the more exciting golfers in recent years to join the professional game.
Aberg already has five wins in his pro career, including two on the PGA Tour and the Florida-based Swede brilliantly ignited hopes of a third after a sizzling eight birdie 63 to kick start this week’s RBC Heritage at Hilton Head in South Carolina.
The double Ryder Cup winning Aberg heads into the second round a shot clear of fellow Scandinavian Viktor Hovland and American Harris English tied in second at seven-under.
A TALE OF TW0 SWEDES ….
As Ludwig Aberg lights-up @RBC_Heritage with a 66 and his compatriot Henrik Stenson takes a big career step into the over-50s brigade @seniorpgachamp
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“Scoring-wise it was a really good day,“ said Aberg. “Anytime you are bogey free and you make eight birdies, it’s a good day.
“I felt like the highlight for me was definitely my irons and my approach play. I felt like that was really positive. Felt like I was hitting the flights I was trying to do. I was on the correct side of the flags, those kind of things that I really like to see. Then a few putts went in on the back nine that I didn’t really do on the front.
“Overall, super pleased with today“
And while Aberg was impressive in South Carolina famed countryman Stenson was making his debut on the Champions Tour, signing for a level par 72 on day one of the Senior PGA Championship at The Concessions course in Bradenton.
For so long, Stenson has been the kingpin of Swedish men’s golf becoming the first and only male Swede to capture a major championship with his success in the 2016 Open Championship, one of his 22 pro career titles.
Though it’s another challenge Stenson enjoyed for a first time in his illustrious career on Thursday, making his Champions Tour debut in the company of so many colleagues and friends in the over-50s ranks.
And though not setting the course on fire, Stenson was clearly thrilled to be teeing-up.
“You never want to turn 50,“ said Stenson smiling.
“It beats the alternative, but yeah, time flies, right? I never saw myself playing a whole lot of senior golf, but I’m probably not the first one that says that, and here we are.
“So, like I mentioned there, it’s been fun to reconnect. Also got a couple of Swedes in the field this week that I haven’t seen much of for a long, long time as well. You know, we started out traveling the world and traveling Europe back in the day, and everyone remembers some other stories and so on, people that we commonly know and so on that you start getting into and talking about and reliving some of those times.
“I mean, it definitely feels like getting kind of the band back together in a way. Yeah, I’ve enjoyed these first couple of days, for sure. I’m sure there will be plenty more of them in the years to come.“
