ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. — Another week, another strong start for Sweden’s Ludvig Aberg.
The rookie sensation and European Ryder Cupper didn’t turn pro until after the NCAA Championship in May but won in September on the DP World Tour and has been threatening to do the same on the PGA Tour. He’s down to his last chance before the calendar flips as he grabbed the 36-hole lead at the RSM Classic on Friday with a bogey-free 6-under 64 at the Sea Island Resort’s Seaside Course.
“I consider myself very, very fortunate to be in this position and I view it as a privilege to be able to feel that kind of pressure and tension and nervousness,” he said. “It’s not something that I want to back down from. I want to keep doing what I’m doing and hit good golf shots and make putts.”
Aberg drained a 20-foot birdie putt at the last to take a one-stroke lead over Eric Cole, Denny McCarthy and Sam Ryder at 11-under 131. It marked Aberg’s first 36-hole lead or co-lead and lowest opening 36-hole score in what is his 11th start on Tour as a professional. How comfortable does he feel being in front?
“I think I’ve been in the lead a few times, and every time you do it, it gets easier,” he said.
Here are four more things to know about the second round of the RSM Classic.
Signature events watch
Sam Ryder entered the week as the bubble boy for the “Next 10.” Nos. 51 to 60 on the FedEx Cup Fall standings at the end of the RSM Classic earn an exemption to the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and Genesis Invitational, which next season are signature events with $20 million purses, reduced fields and no cut at Pebble Beach.
“That’s really what’s propelled me through the fall. That’s been my goal since I finished, because I made the Playoffs, made it to Memphis, and fell a little short and didn’t make it to the next, the BMW,” he said.
A hot putter propelled him to a 7-under 65 on Friday at the Plantation Course that lifted him to 10-under 132 and T-2 through 36 holes. Ryder played his final five holes in 5 under, including holing a 50-foot eagle bomb at the par-5 18th to cap off his day. Ryder is projected to jump to No. 53 in the FedEx Cup Fall standings with two days left to go.
“I feel like it’s just going to be a really good way to start the year if you can get into a couple of those big events early,” he said.
Only one player is projected to move into The Next 10 — second-round leader Ludvig Aberg would vault from No. 96 to No. 55. He would bump J.J. Spaun from No. 59 to No. 62.
No rust for McCarthy
Denny McCarthy hasn’t played since the BMW Championship in August. But after taking the entire FedEx Fall off, he showed up at Sea Island this week and picked up where he left off.
McCarthy, who lost a playoff at the Memorial and is still seeking his first PGA Tour win, shot 67 at Seaside Course on Friday. How did he spend his off-time?
“We went to Jackson Hole to 6,000 feet and we did a hike up to 10,000 feet, so that was pretty interesting. Bachelor party in Bakers Bay, which was obviously a lot of fun. Back and forth to Maryland a few times. It’s been good,” he said. “There was a period of time there, month and a half, where I didn’t even think about touching a golf club, which is nice.
“Like I said, I haven’t really had a break in a long time, seven or eight years playing professional golf, so it’s nice to kind of just put the clubs down and do other things.”
Kuest's quest for status
For a pro with no status at the start of the season, Peter Kuest has managed to make 15 starts on the PGA Tour thanks to a T-4 at the Rocket Mortgage Classic, which helped him earn special temporary membership. He’s taking advantage of his latest start so far, playing bogey-free for 36 holes and posting 9-under 133, which has him tied for fifth.
“I didn’t really have a goal coming in,” he said. “I just wanted to keep doing what I was doing.”
Kuest, a BYU grad, needs at minimum a two-way tie for third this week at the RSM Classic to earn status for next season. But Kuest isn’t too focused on that.
“Oh, I have no idea. I don’t know. I mean, whatever happens, happens,” he said. “I’m just looking to play well and whatever happens after Sunday, happens after Sunday.”
Monday qualifier makes emotional cut
Matt Atkins is the feel-good story of the week. The 32-year-old former Korn Ferry Tour winner, was a Monday qualifier into the field and shot 66 on Friday at the Seaside Course to make his first PGA Tour cut since the 2018 Barbasol Championship.
“Making the cut and making a check, we can at least pay our bills next couple months,” said the 32-year-old with conditional status on the Korn Ferry Tour for his win in 2017. “You know, I took a big leap of faith trusting in the Lord a couple weeks ago and I told my wife I couldn’t have been more confident in the decision I made. We had been praying for just clarity and just direction on what to do, and discernment. This week was an unknown after I qualified, but I think the Lord has shown, ‘Matt, this is where you’re supposed to be, stop, stop playing for yourself and for worldly things, just glorify me.'”
Atkins finished with three straight birdies to improve to 5-under 137 and T-44.
“I just didn’t want to let it slip by, but I tried to just tell myself even if it’s meant for you to just play and enjoy the experience, you have to be satisfied with that,” he said.
