Despite their striking differences, Eric Cole and Ludvig Åberg have reached the same goal.
More than just the trophy from The RSM Classic is at stake when they compete in the final group of the PGA TOUR season.
The winner of tomorrow’s match at Sea Island Golf Club will probably receive the Arnold Palmer Award, which is granted to the top rookie on the TOUR.
Both Åberg and Cole shot 61 on Saturday, which puts them in first and second place on the standings. At 20-under 192 (67-64-61), Åberg is one shot ahead of Cole, who started the week with back-to-back 66s.
“I thought I was hitting the ball really well. With the exception of 14, I felt like I was hitting the ball nicely and that I was taking advantage of the slightly easier conditions today. stated Aberg.
Cole and Åberg didn’t have the highest score of the day. That belonged to Mackenzie Hughes, the 2016 RSM Classic winner, who scored 60 despite missing a 17-foot putt on the last hole. He will be in the final group on Sunday, with Cole and Åberg.
After the first two days of increasing difficulty due to clouds, wind, and rain, Sea Island was left defenceless on a beautiful Saturday. On Sunday, there will undoubtedly be more sunshine, which means more low scores. The leading trio has gotten a little distance from the pack, but chasers may catch up fast, particularly on the back nine of Sea Island.
On the back nine on Saturday, Åberg and Cole both shot 30-plus. Just two putts outside of 10 feet were required for Cole to shoot a 28 that included 5 birdies and an eagle. He shot 10 under par for the 11 holes he played from Nos. 6 to 16.
A five-hole stretch from Nos. 13–17, which he played in 6 under, comprised Åberg’s 29. On the 14th hole, he chipped in, and on the 15th par-5, he made his own eagle after hitting his second shot to 13 feet.
Tyler Duncan, a previous RSM champion, shot 62 on Saturday and is currently in 4th place, 3 shots off the lead. Sam Ryder, who is currently in 5th place at 15 under par, is the only other player within 5 strokes of Åberg.
Both Cole and Åberg are vying for their first PGA TOUR championship. This is Åberg’s 11th PGA TOUR event in his professional career. As the best player in PGA TOUR University’s standings, he is the first player to gain direct entrance to the PGA TOUR. After going pro in June, he immediately showed that he was deserving of the honour.
In his 13 starts as a professional, Åberg has finished in the top 25, missing only one cut. This includes 3 appearances on the DP World Tour, where he won his first professional race at the Omega European Masters in September.
T14 is his lowest result in his last seven professional starts. In that time, he has 5 top-10 results.
On the PGA TOUR, he placed T4 at the John Deere Classic and came runner-up in the Sanderson Farms Championship following a 5-man playoff loss. Even if he loses on Sunday, he is already just outside the top 50 in the world rankings and will probably secure an invitation to his 1st Masters tournament.
Åberg’s skill off the tee has impressed. If he had played enough rounds to be included in the statistical rankings, he would be ranked second in Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee this season. He is the only player on the PGA TOUR to average at least 315 yards off the tee and hit 60% of his fairways.
This week, Åberg is ranked third in driving accuracy (hitting 36 of 42 fairways), second in driving distance (308.7 yards), and third in strokes gained: off-the-tee (+3.39).
In his last two Sundays on the PGA TOUR, Åberg has shot 64 and 62. Additionally, in July, he shot a final-round 63 at the John Deere Classic. In just 10 professional starts, Åberg has amassed the most closing rounds of 64 or lower on the PGA TOUR this year. If he had played enough rounds to be included in the TOUR’s statistical standings, his final-round scoring average of 68.45 would have placed him third on the tour.
“I strive to stick with my decisions after I’ve made them. Even though I play quickly already, there are moments when it moves a little too quickly. I make an effort to become somewhat more composed, yet I still make firm conclusions.” Aberg said.
Since Jon Rahm or the current FedExCup champion Viktor Hovland, who became pro 4 years ago, Åberg is golf’s most promising prospect. Two-time major winner Rahm became a professional in 2016. The only two golfers to win the Ben Hogan Award multiple times, which is given to the best amateur and collegiate player, are Aberg and Rahm. It was won twice by both players. The only European to hold the top spot in the World Amateur Golf Ranking longer than Aberg is Rahm.
Not only is Cole 35 pounds lighter and 7 inches shorter than Åberg, but he also stands out from the crowd. Despite being over ten years older than Åberg, Cole, 35, is participating in his maiden season on the PGA TOUR following years of hard work on the minor circuits.
While Cole’s success on the PGA TOUR is a credit to his perseverance, Åberg’s quick rise has established him as a unique talent. On a circuit where earnings are calculated to the nearest penny, he earned $194,833.84, placing him 4th on the Minor League Golf Tour’s career money list. It wasn’t until 2020 that Cole participated in his first complete season on the Korn Ferry Tour.
One of the heartwarming tales of the season has been Cole’s performance on the PGA TOUR. In addition to earning close to $5 million this season, he was the only rookie to place in the top 50 of the FedExCup and win a spot in the BMW Championship. This ensures he will start in each and every one of the prestigious, limited-field Signature Events held in 2019 that feature the best players on the TOUR.
In the FedExCup Fall, he has maintained his strong form, placing in the top 4 in 3 of his previous 4 starts. Positioned 48th globally, he is also attempting to secure his 1st invitation to the Masters. Season spots in the first major of the year are awarded to the top 50 at year’s end. This ensures he will start in each and every one of the prestigious, limited-field Signature Events held in 2019 that feature the best players on the TOUR.
Cole claimed that his exposure to the low-scoring conditions on the MLGT, where competitors must go low to win the one-day events, benefitted him on Saturday. On that TOUR, he has won over 50 times, and he has declared that he would continue his current approach on Sunday. He will get to the range 25 minutes after his scheduled tee time, having arrived at the course 90 minutes before to do his customary warm-up. It is hoped that The RSM’s last round would feel as comfortable and familiar as possible with a regular schedule.
“Clearly, things have changed a little bit on the stage, and the intensity of everything has increased. It’s always a wonderful thing when you win, and I’ll probably make some use of it tomorrow.” Cole said.
Despite their best efforts, Cole and Aberg are aware that the RSM Classic final round might change their lives.
