Ludvig Åberg continued his incredible year by winning The RSM Classic on Sunday with a second consecutive 9-under 61. This was his first PGA TOUR triumph in addition to victories on the DP World Tour and the Ryder Cup.
And to think that six months ago, the 24-year-old Swede was still enrolled at Texas Tech University.
“Beyond my imagination. I’ll never forget the past six months.” Åberg declared after winning.
He not only won the season’s last event on the PGA TOUR, but he accomplished it in record time. With his final birdie, Åberg tied Justin Thomas’s record of 253 at the 2017 Sony Open, the record for the highest score on the PGA TOUR’s 72 holes.
“I believe there are no limits. He possesses everything. Has a calm temperament and isn’t easily agitated. For the next few years, we’ll be seeing a lot of him, “exclaimed Mackenzie Hughes, who lost a close match to Åberg with a 63.
With 3 consecutive birdies, including a daring drive over the swamp on the 407-yard 5th hole to 30 feet, Åberg took command. The hard-luck victim Hughes was then held off. Hughes finished 4 strokes behind after shooting 60-63 over the weekend.
Åberg met every obstacle, even after making his one and only bogey of the week on the Seaside Course at Sea Island.
On the 15th, Hughes hit a clever pitch to tap-in range for a birdie, putting him 2 strokes ahead. With a tight pin in the center of a deep bunker, Åberg sprayed the ball out to 4 feet for a matched birdie.
On the par-3 17th, he nearly sealed the deal with a 25-foot birdie putt, and just to be sure, he added another record to his record with a 20-foot birdie putt at the very end.
When the final birdie putt dropped, Åberg made an unusually quick and broad expression of emotion by pumping his fist. He claimed to view his status as a contender as an opportunity, and he has the perfect combination of lethal instinct and a charming smile.
“When you’re a child, this is what you want. I have always loved this sport and I will continue to do so in the future. I wouldn’t have believed you a few months ago if you had told me this. I have to pinch myself in the arm to be in this place.” Aberg said.
Hughes was most moved by the shot on the fifth hole, a par-4 that sharply bends to the right around a marsh.
“He is akin to the player of today. Well, number five is perhaps the best illustration of that. He flies it on the green and two-putts for birdie while I’m playing to the left of that bunker. Such a great shot to shoot that straight and long at the same time.” Hughes said.
After his final year at Texas Tech, Åberg was guaranteed a spot on the PGA TOUR for 2024 as the top player according to the PGA TOUR University rating.
He has competed in 14 events since June, winning 3 on the DP World Tour, finishing 3rd in 3 other top 10s, and losing 1 in the playoffs. He won the Omega European Masters in Switzerland to all but guarantee his berth on the Ryder Cup team, and he finished no worse than a tie for 10th on the DP World Tour.
At Marco Simone Golf & Country Club, Åberg and Viktor Hovland defeated Scottie Scheffler and Brooks Koepka in a 9-and-7 Foursomes match, which established a Ryder Cup record for victory margin.
After winning at Sea Island, he now stands at No. 32 in the world. In addition to earning a spot in The Sentry at Kapalua to begin the year, he also earned a spot at the Masters. Furthermore, he seems to be a lock to win the PGA TOUR Rookie of the Year award. Playing in the final group alongside Åberg, the second leading contender, Eric Cole, scored 67 to share third place with Tyler Duncan (65).
“It will be difficult to catch him when he is playing as well as he was” Cole stated.
Åberg recorded a final score of 29-under 253, shattering the tournament record set when it was split between the par-72 Plantation and the par-70 Seaside by seven strokes.
Ryan Moore received a sizeable consolation award. He finished in the top 125 in the FedExCup and retained his full card for 2024 with ease after birdieing the 17th and closing with a 65 to tie for 8th.
“It was almost like the nerves he felt trying to win a golf tournament coming down the stretch,” he said
