Ludvig Aberg continues to justify all the hype and expectations around him after a second successive 61 to clinch a stunning first PGA Tour victory.
Aberg matched his nine-under round from Saturday with a birdie-birdie finish at Sea Island in Georgia to complete a four-shot win and finally see off the dogged challenge of Mackenzie Hughes, who impressed with his own final round of 63 in the RSM Classic.
Aberg only turned pro in June but the star, who made his Ryder Cup debut after his Omega European Masters victory in September, continues to dazzle. He now looks a cert to be the PGA Tour's Rookie of the Year and, on this evidence, further titles appear inevitable, even though he is yet to play in a Major.
Following his win, the 24-year-old said: "I had some putts going in today and I am super happy. It is a privilege to be in this position and that is how I view it. This is what you dream of as a kid in the sport I love. To see myself win is really cool. To be in this position, I need to pinch myself in the arm."
Aberg's 253 total ties the lowest 72-hole total ever and his successive 61s were the lowest score over the final two rounds ever.
RSM CLASSIC LEADERBOARD
- -29 ABERG
- -25 HUGHES
- -22 DUNCAN, COLE
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A LOT OF EYES AND ATTENTION ON ABERG
Excitement building at Sea Island in Georgia with the leaders of at 4.10 local time. A lot of attention will be on Aberg, who will be under the microscope as he continues to justify all the hype after turning pro in June this year. Since then he has posted 11 scores of 65 or better, which is the most of any player on the PGA Tour. The Swede is also the only player in the field who has not had a bogey this week and, if he continues that run, would become the first player since Tom Kim won the 2022 Shriners Open to not drop a single shot.
POTENTIALLY THRILLING FINAL ROUND AHEAD
Also in the final group are Eric Cole and Canadian Mackenzie Hughes. Cole , who is a two-time runner-up on the tour, is a very exciting player to watch after entering this week as the 2022-23 season leader in birdies with 526 - 50 more than the next closest player.
ABERG MAKES RED-HOT START
Aberg has so many attributes , including his cool demeanour which was evident on the first hole when he drove 294 yards into the fairway, put his approach shot from 121 yards to 11 foot before draining the putt. What a start!
ABERG'S DRIVING IS MIGHTY IMPRESSIVE
Ludvig Åberg’s driving statistics this week:Strokes Gained: 1stDistance: 2ndAccuracy: 3rdHe leads by one seeking his first TOUR victory @TheRSMClassic. pic.twitter.com/8qDkupt53sNovember 19, 2023
CHASING PACK START TO BUNCH UP
Aberg's opening birdie means he still has a two-shot lead but the chasing pack is starting to assemble in his wake with Mackenzie Hughes moving to -19 alongside Eric Cole after the Canadian birdied the short second hole. Tyler Duncan is also -1 today to lie just a shot further back.
HUGHES MAKES AN EARLY MOVE WITH BACK TO BACK BIRDIES
Mackenzie Hughes admitted he was disappointed to miss a putt for a 59 on the 18th in the third round. But the Canadian is showing no sign of frustration after coming out firing in the final round. Hughes has gone par, birdie, birdie after chipping in at the par 3 third from short and right of the flag.
Early chip-in birdie 🐦@MacHughesGolf is just two back of the lead @TheRSMClassic. pic.twitter.com/PnkOg1YMzONovember 19, 2023
ABERG RESTORES HIS TWO-SHOT ADVANTAGE
Hughes put pressure on Aberg with back to back birdies at the second and the third but now the Swede has responded with a birdie at the fourth to move two-under for the day himself and two clear at the top. The European Ryder Cup star hit his tee shot 262 yards to open up the dog-leg fourth before finding the green from 186 yards to set up another birdie.
FORTUNE FAVOURS THE BOLD AFTER AMAZING DRIVE
Huge credit to Aberg at the par fourth fifth where he went for green with a stunning 335-yard drive over the dogleg and it really paid off as he made it to reach the green to leave himself 35 feet from the flag. That set-up a third birdie in five holes in a blistering start from the highly-rated 24-year-old.
He does it again 😲Ludvig Åberg drives the green on No. 5 for the second time this week @TheRSMClassic. https://t.co/0QDTkBGvHd pic.twitter.com/84N20bHdTnNovember 19, 2023
COLE IS DEFINITELY NOT ON FIRE
While Aberg has made a blistering start to suggest he will take some stopping, Eric Cole is going backwards down the leaderboard. American Cole,35, is two-over for the day after dropping shots on the third and the fifth to slip to six shots behind Aberg with the title already looking beyond him unless something dramatic happens for him and our leader.
MORE SENSATIONAL GOLF FROM ABERG
Aberg is lighting up this tournament and running away with it after opening up a four-shot lead with his fourth birdie in six holes. His approach to the par three sixth from 171 yards left the Swede just a five-foot putt for a two which he duly converted. He moves to -24 under and , after shooting a nine-under 61 in the third round, Aberg continues to have his foot to the accelerator.
ABERG ENJOYING LIFE AT THE TOP OF THE LEADERBOARD
Speaking after a nine-under 61 in the third round, Aberg was asked to reflect on his first 54-hole lead on the PGA Tour. He said: "It is all about giving yourself chances , trying to hit good shots and read some good putts. I really enjoy it, it is what I have been dreaming of doing for such a long time. I try to embrace it and have fun. I feel like I am doing a pretty good job of that."
HUGHES TRYING TO KEEP CONTEST ALIVE
Many punters and fans will be expecting Aberg to complete an emphatic victory after his blistering start but try telling that to Mackenzie Hughes. The Canadian is three shots back and three under for the day himself after his third birdie at the par five seventh.
SAM RYDER HOLES OUT FOR EAGLE
How about this for an eagle from Sam Ryder at the fifth as he bids to finish in the top ten.
Slam dunk 🔥@SamRyderSU holes it for eagle in style! pic.twitter.com/SzUKdpRQ42November 19, 2023
HUGHES CUTS GAP TO TWO BEHIND ABERG
Hughes has reeled off his fourth birdie in eight holes to move to -22 and cut Aberg's lead to two shots. Hughes put his approach from 75 yards to five foot to tee up a birdie at the eighth. It means the Canadian is continuing his good form from the third round when he carded 60 to be just one of two players - along with Sebastian Munoz - to card multiple rounds of 60 or better on tour in the last five seasons.
DUEL BETWEEN ABERG AND HUGHES WHO ARE FIVE-UNDER AT TURN
Hughes is doing his best to pile the pressure on our leader with the Canadian, who won the RSM in 2016, reaching the turn in five-under after an impressive third successive birdie on the ninth. But Aberg, putting after Hughes, followed his rival into the hole with a 12 foot putt after Hughes holed from 14 feet at the 458-yard par four ninth.
ABERG'S REPEATABLE SWING IS UNERRING TODAY
Leader Aberg has only missed eight fairways all tournament and is looking imperious yet the cool, calm Swede just can't seem to shake off former RSM champion Mackenzie Hughes who is not going away. There are just two shots between the men who both fired it in very close at the 10th from around 120 yards before the pair made birdies with Hughes recording his fourth birdie in a row to follow the leader in.
HUGHES IN TROUBLE AT THE 11TH
Hughes has been brilliant today to keep the pressure on Aberg with both players -6 for the day but the Canadian looks set to drop a shot at the 11th where he has an unplayable ball embedded in a sandy area , where he will not be entitled to relief. He has had to take a drop and go back to around 160 yards whereas Aberg has about 110 yards to play.
ABERG OPENS UP THREE-SHOT LEAD
Drama at the 11th where Hughes has scrambled an incredible par which left the Canadian clenching his fist after earlier taking a penalty drop. But his gutsy par, after rolling in a long putt from 36 feet, wasn't enough to stop Aberg extending his lead at the top to three shots with a third successive birdie from eight feet to get to -7 for his round.
What a par 👏After taking an unplayable, @MacHughesGolf sinks it from 36 feet to save par @TheRSMClassic. pic.twitter.com/W1zNOsWHDVNovember 19, 2023
ABERG FINALLY DROPS HIS FIRST SHOT OF THE TOURNAMENT
It tells you everything about the quality of Aberg's golf this week that his bogey at the par 3 12th is his first dropped shot of the entire tournament. It has coincided with Hughes making a par so while Aberg is still looking good for his first title, it still by no means certain as he leads by two shots with six to play.
DRAMA AWAY FROM TOP OF LEADERBOARD
While Aberg and Hughes battle it out at the top, others Patton Kizzire are battling to finish in the top 125 in the FedExCup Fall standings to secure their playing rights for next year. Kizzire's -11 total at Sea Island wasn't enough to improve his projected position at No. 129 which means he will have conditional status next season.
“This is what I’ve always wanted to do.” An emotional Patton Kizzire opens up after finishing just outside the top 125 in the #FedExCup Fall standings. His projected position at No. 129 will earn him conditional status next season. pic.twitter.com/7LfTsqofvkNovember 19, 2023
LEADING DUO SETTLE IN FOR TENSE FINALE
After blistering front nines which saw Aberg and Hughes reach the turn at -5 for the day, the pace has dropped off with Aberg recording successive pars at the 13th and 14th after dropping his first shot of the day on the 12th. While Hughes has now made four straight pars as he has been unable to reel in Aberg, who is two shots clear on -26.
ABERG CONTINUES TO IMPRESS BUT HAS MISSED RIGHT MORE THAN ONCE
Aberg has been a fantastic frontrunner in the final round after moving to -27 under with his latest birdie at the par 5 15th. Clearly the so-called 'generational talent' is underlining his ability and precisely why so many people rave about him. But it is also worth noting Aberg has missed the green on the right on the 15th with his second and that does seem to his miss today. It also led to his first bogey of the entire tournament on the par 3 12th.
ABERG LEADS BY TWO WITH TWO TO PLAY
Aberg and Hughes have both missed birdie putts at the par four 16th which means the Swede leads by two shots with two holes to play with both himself and Canadian Hughes on -7 for the day after an exciting head to head duel in the final group. If Aberg wins, he is projected to rise from No.96 to No.54 in the FedExCup Fall standings.
ABERG ON THE BRINK OF HIS FIRST PGA TOUR TITLE
Aberg heads to the last with a three-shot lead over the dogged Mackenzie Hughes after the pair both hit the par 3 17th but it was only the Swede who drained his putt from 25 feet. This guy may not have played in a Major before but he is now on the brink of adding a win in US to his DP World Tour win in Switzerland and the plaudits will continue to flow - rightly so too.
Sneaking in another birdie 🔥Ludvig Åberg leads by three with one to play @TheRSMClassic. pic.twitter.com/s3EEpMbZPjNovember 19, 2023
ABERG PUTTS OUT FOR A DESERVED MAIDEN VICTORY
Mackenzie Hughes has pushed Ludvig Aberg all the way with a -7 round but the Swede made the green in regulation at the last as has clinched his first PGA Tour title with his latest birdie. It has been hugely impressive golf to follow up Aberg's DP World Tour title in Switzerland with his maiden win in USA. Aberg doesn't appear to have any flaws in his game and he rose to the occasion here with a very mature, composed display which will surely see him crowned rookie of the year.
In just his 11th professional PGA TOUR start, Ludvig Åberg wins @TheRSMClassic 💪 pic.twitter.com/R4jDtDYhsSNovember 19, 2023
