U.S. Open: Ludvig Aberg realized from Masters missteps, leads

Ludvig Åberg discovered his groove on Friday on the U.S. Open, changing into the solo chief after 36 holes. He posted a 1-under 69 to maneuver to a 5-under total and holds a one-shot lead heading into Saturday’s third spherical.

As soon as once more, the previous Texas Tech Crimson Raider is in rivalry at a serious in 2024. He performed Augusta Nationwide, one other troublesome golf course, exceptionally nicely. Åberg completed runner-up to World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler at this 12 months’s Masters.

However he made some errors down the stretch, notably on the eleventh gap, which price him an opportunity at a Inexperienced Jacket. As such, Åberg could have an opportunity to place these experiences to work this weekend in North Carolina.

“I believe Augusta proved to me that I used to be in a position to be in that place,” Åberg mentioned.

“It was extra of a justification of you will be there and contend on a Sunday. The golf course additionally performed very troublesome. It demanded plenty of endurance and self-discipline, similar to this one does. I really feel like these experiences that I had again in April had been nice. Hopefully, we’ll draw some similarities between these.”

The younger Swede continued to plug proper alongside at Pinehurst No. 2 on Friday. He remained extraordinarily constant, hitting 12-of-14 fairways and discovering 14-of-18 greens. The 24-year-old has missed simply two fairways and 6 greens over the primary two days total.

Thus far, he leads the sphere in each complete strokes gained and strokes gained off the tee.

But, he didn’t have his greatest day on Friday, although he recorded three birdies and two bogeys on his spherical. Nonetheless, his spherical was constant sufficient to push him up the leaderboard and into the solo lead.

“Felt like I hit it very properly in the present day,” Åberg mentioned.

Picture by Tracy Wilcox/PGA Tour by way of Getty Photographs

“It was very difficult, and it’s not a simple golf course. I felt like we stayed very disciplined, stayed very affected person, and tried to hit it to our targets on a regular basis and see what number of good photographs we are able to hit in the present day and see the place that finally ends up on the finish.”

He seems to develop into the primary participant in 110 years to win in his U.S. Open debut. Francis Ouimet famously did so in 1913 at The Nation Membership at Brookline as an novice, which many say put the U.S. Open on the map. Different pundits name Ouimet’s win an important victory in skilled golf historical past.

Nonetheless, the U.S. Open has reworked into the hardest take a look at in golf, with Pinehurst taking no prisoners.

“I believe a U.S. Open is meant to be onerous,” he mentioned.

“It’s presupposed to be tough. It’s presupposed to problem any facet of your recreation, and I really feel it’s actually doing that. However I’m tremendous lucky with the best way that issues have turned out over the past couple of days, and hopefully, we’ll have the ability to stick with it.”

Regardless of its problem, Åberg is aware of this observe pretty nicely. He performed a U.S. Newbie at Pinehurst in 2019 however did not advance previous the spherical of 32. That have taught him quite a bit about the best way to tackle this tough golf course.

“I believe with the best way these greens are when it will get actually agency—you don’t actually have any bail-out areas; you’ve acquired to tackle the golf photographs and see the place it finally ends up,” Åberg mentioned.

“If you happen to don’t pull it off, you’re going to have a very tough brief recreation shot. I believe it’s a difficult golf course, however as soon as once more, that’s the way it was presupposed to be.”

Åberg and Bryson DeChambeau will comprise the ultimate pairing for the third spherical of the U.S. Open.

Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf employees author for SB Nation’s Enjoying By. For extra golf protection, be sure you comply with us @_PlayingThrough on all main social platforms. You may also comply with her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.