Ludvig Åberg has loads of motive to smile on the Genesis Scottish Open.
For the second consecutive day, the younger Swede signed for a 6-under 64 and has a one-shot lead over Frenchman Antoine Rozner at 12-under-par. Åberg didn’t make a single bogey on Friday, as an alternative holing six birdies to grab management of the championship on the halfway level.
‘It’s been very good. I felt like we had an excellent recreation plan and executing the photographs. We attempt to not pressure something,” Åberg mentioned after his spherical.
“We attempt to have a whole lot of acceptance after we play and be sure that we put good swings on it and provides ourselves loads of possibilities, which I felt like we’ve accomplished very effectively.”
Regardless of being solely 24 years outdated, Åberg already seems like a seasoned PGA Tour veteran. He performs like one, too, and has the mentality of a multi-major champion.
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“Nobody goes to play good golf for 72 holes,” Åberg added.
‘I feel [a bad break or lousy shot is] going to occur to everybody in some unspecified time in the future, and every time that occurs, you’ve simply bought to attempt to cope with it the perfect you possibly can, and all I can do is attempt to put good swings on it, after which hopefully the choice that we’ve made is the precise one and attempt to hit it once more after we discover it.”
Åberg would doubtless have a extra appreciable benefit if not for a horrible break he suffered halfway by way of Thursday’s first spherical. On the par-4 eighth gap, Åberg struck what seemed like a terrific strategy shot into the inexperienced. However his ball ricocheted off Collin Morikawa’s ball, which sat 11 ft from the opening. Åberg’s ball bounced lifeless proper, settling under the inexperienced, whereas Morikawa’s shot lifeless left.
Below the guidelines of golf, Morikawa might substitute his ball, whereas Åberg couldn’t. As a substitute of getting a makeable birdie putt, Åberg confronted a difficult third shot and couldn’t save par. Thus, he made a bogey in what was one of many worst breaks of the season. Morikawa, in the meantime, drained his birdie try.
A novel shot defined.
Rule 9.6 | Ball lifted or moved by outdoors affect
Whether it is identified or just about sure that an out of doors affect (together with one other participant in stroke play or one other ball) lifter or moved a participant’s ball at relaxation:
• There is no such thing as a penalty
• The ball… pic.twitter.com/xEUwAQrK2L— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) July 11, 2024
However that’s one instance of how Åberg has discovered to ‘settle for’ throughout a event. Awful breaks occur to each golfer on any course.
“As soon as these issues occur, I can’t do something about it,” Åberg mentioned Thursday.
“All I attempt to do is simply make good swings, and I did.”
He made loads of good swings on Friday, which explains why he raced previous the opposite contenders to steal the lead. So, no surprise Åberg was grinning from ear to ear all day.
And but, he has been on this place earlier than. Åberg held the 36-hole lead ultimately month’s U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2, however a triple bogey on the thirteenth gap ended his possibilities on Saturday. Avoiding a mistake like that on the Genesis Scottish Open shall be crucial if he desires to nab the most important PGA Tour win of his profession up to now. But when he retains swinging like he does, retains smiling like he does, and retains that very same angle, all indicators level to him doing so.
Jack Milko is a golf employees author for SB Nation’s Enjoying By way of. Be sure you try @_PlayingThrough for extra golf protection. You’ll be able to observe him on Twitter @jack_milko as effectively.
