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

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

As soon as once more, the previous Texas Tech Purple Raider is in competition at a serious in 2024. He performed Augusta Nationwide, one other tough golf course, exceptionally effectively. 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 value 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 capable of be in that place,” Åberg stated.

“It was extra of a justification of you could be there and contend on a Sunday. The golf course additionally performed very tough. It demanded lots of endurance and self-discipline, identical 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 general.

Thus far, he leads the sector in each whole strokes gained and strokes gained off the tee.

But, he didn’t have his finest 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 immediately,” Åberg stated.

Photograph by Tracy Wilcox/PGA Tour through Getty Photos

“It was very difficult, and it’s not a straightforward 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 will hit immediately and see the place that finally ends up on the finish.”

He seems to be 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.

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

“I believe a U.S. Open is meant to be exhausting,” he stated.

“It’s alleged to be difficult. It’s alleged to problem any side 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 be capable of stick with it.”

Regardless of its problem, Åberg is aware of this monitor pretty effectively. He performed a U.S. Newbie at Pinehurst in 2019 however didn’t advance previous the spherical of 32. That have taught him lots about the way to tackle this difficult 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 bought to tackle the golf photographs and see the place it finally ends up,” Åberg stated.

“In the event you don’t pull it off, you’re going to have a extremely difficult brief recreation shot. I believe it’s a difficult golf course, however as soon as once more, that’s the way it was alleged 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. It’s also possible to comply with her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.