Sweden’s Ludvig Åberg continued to enjoy a sensational start to his professional career with a first PGA Tour victory in the RSM Classic.
Åberg carded back-to-back rounds of 61 over the weekend at Sea Island to finish 29 under par, four shots clear of Canada’s Mackenzie Hughes. He onverted his first 36-hole and 54-hole leads/co-leads on Tour to victory in his first time playing in the final group in the final round.
The 24-year-old only joined the paid ranks in June, but won the final Ryder Cup qualifying event in Switzerland at the start of September and was hailed as a “generational talent” when given a wild card by Europe captain Luke Donald.
Åberg partnered Viktor Hovland to victory in the opening foursomes session in Rome 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.
“I’m super happy. It’s kind of beyond my dreams,” Åberg told NBC after rounding off the win with three birdies in the last four holes.
“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 skillset 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.”
The victory will take Åberg into the world’s top 50 and secure an invitation to next year’s Masters at Augusta National, his first appearance in a major championship.
With a tournament total of 257, Hughes tied the lowest score by a runner-up in a 72-hole event set by Russell Henley at the 2022 Sony Open in Hawaii, and played the final two rounds in 123, one stroke shy of Åberg’s record closing 36-hole score.
2019 RSM Classic winner Tyler Duncan tied for third at 22-under alongside fellow American Eric Cole.
Rookie Cole, who entered the final round trailing Ludvig Åberg by one stroke, records his fourth top-four finish in last five starts.
