Issues didn’t come straightforward for the sweet-swinging Swedish phenom on Thursday on the RSM Basic.
The truth is, the precise reverse occurred.
Defending champion Ludvig Åberg carded a 3-over 73 in the course of the first spherical, his first aggressive begin since he had knee surgical procedure on a torn meniscus in September.
Remarkably, Åberg started his title protection with a birdie on the par-4 1st, as he caught a wedge from 116 yards to 11 ft away and drained the putt. However then he made uncharacteristic errors. On the par-3 third, he left his method quick and within the sand lure, which led to his first dropped shot of the day. On the subsequent gap, the par-4 4th, Åberg tugged his tee shot into the marsh, which led to his second straight bogey. Then, on the par-3 sixth, with the wind whipping off the correct, Åberg hit his method lengthy, because it skipped off the again of the inexperienced and down into a group space. He then missed an eight-footer for par.
The 2023 Ryder Cup star shot a 2-over 37 on the entrance 9, then made his greatest blunder of the day on the 406-yard par-4 tenth. He pushed his drive proper into the penalty space. Then, after taking a drop, he fatted his wedge into the entrance proper bunker that protects the inexperienced. He then compounded these errors by hitting a poor sand shot and proceeded to three-putt for a triple-bogey seven from 50 ft away. He out of the blue sat at 5-over.
“It was exhausting. Clearly, it was a tough day,” Åberg mentioned.
“It was plenty of rust, I felt like, however I additionally felt like the nice was fairly good, however the unhealthy was actually unhealthy.
Good on Åberg for protecting it optimistic within the face of adversity. However how he performed his last eight holes speaks volumes concerning the 25-year-old star, too. He did so in 2-under, because of a 36-footer he drained on the par-3 twelfth and a two-putt birdie on the par-5 fifteenth. An all-world up-and-down on the par-3 seventeenth stored him at 3-over total.
“There’s some technical issues that I’m engaged on in my swing,” Åberg added.
“I need to, I assume, load it somewhat bit higher, and that’s the place that miss comes with the driving force. Each instances the place I put myself in bother as we speak, it was off the tee. If I can repair these issues and get somewhat bit higher, I believe tomorrow shall be somewhat bit nicer.”
The final time he performed the Plantation Course at Sea Island, he carded a 5-under 67 in spherical one a yr in the past. He then posted 64-61-61 over the ultimate three rounds on the Seaside Course, so the potential for Åberg to make these changes and go low on Friday is actually there.
But, the previous Texas Tech Pink Raider is simply glad to be again enjoying once more as a result of his knee had bothered him for months earlier than his operation. However now, he’s feeling 100%, and that’s what’s most necessary.
“A little bit little bit of all the pieces as we speak,” Åberg mentioned.
“However all in all, fairly glad to be again enjoying golf once more.”
Jack Milko is a golf workers author for SB Nation’s Taking part in By means of. Make sure to take a look at @_PlayingThrough for extra golf protection. You may observe him on Twitter @jack_milko as effectively.
