For those watching the Genesis Invitational at home, Ludvig Aberg seemed to literally come from nowhere to win at Torrey Pines and secure his second PGA Tour victory.
Ludvig Aberg appeared to be out of contention to win the Genesis Invitational after bogeying two of his first five holes during the final round. That was then followed by Maverick McNealy going on an incredible run which saw the American take charge of the tournament.
However, McNealy stumbled a little bit more as he got towards the finishing line, while Aberg just got better and better.
The Swede made six birdies in his final 13 holes to win by one at Torrey Pines. It was a real statement of intent from the 25-year-old who has spent much of his professional career in the top 10 in the world rankings.
Smylie Kaufman stunned by Ludvig Aberg after the Genesis Invitational
Of course, the highlight came on Saturday as he made a hole in one on the third hole. And perhaps surprisingly, it was the par threes which proved to be crucial to his victory.
As well as that ace, Aberg made seven birdies and no bogeys on the shortest holes across the week. And speaking on The Smylie Show, Smylie Kaufman admitted that he could not quite believe just how good his record on the par threes was during the tournament.
“It’s just stupid, man, just so stupid. You just have no idea how good that is. We’re talking about the par three on the backside, the 11th hole, it was the hardest hole on the golf course today, not one birdie was made. And then the 16th hole, everybody knows that hole, how difficult it is, you’re hitting full five irons into that green and it’s a very difficult shot,” he said.
“Yes, there’s some short holes on the frontside, with three and eight. Not necessarily long holes, but I think eight is so tricky to get it on the right shelf, and three when you’ve had all the wind that they’ve had all week, it’s no layup when you’re playing off an elevated tee. So there’s plenty of problems. Obviously, when you make a hole in one, that helps the stats. But still, it’s just incredible to play that type of golf and have that type of control.”
What Tiger Woods said about Ludvig Aberg
Tiger Woods was the tournament host this past week. And while he was not in a position to play, he was in attendance on Sunday as Aberg got himself across the line.
Fans were annoyed by Aberg barely featuring in the coverage in the early stages of the round. But once it became clear that he was right in the mix, Woods was quick to laud the European.
“Ludvig’s swing, there really is not a lot can go wrong with it. Occasionally he might speed up a little bit and get stuck under it but other than that he hits this tight little draw. Beautiful draw and on top of that he is a super nice guy,” he said.
It says a lot that he has impressed Woods at this stage of his career. And when you match the simplicity of his swing with the quality he has on what should be the hardest scoring holes on the golf course, it really feels like it could be a lethal combination which brings Aberg a lot of success.
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