Ludvig Åberg makes PGA Tour history at RSM Classic never seen in golf

In only his 11th PGA Tour professional start, Ludvig Åberg didn’t just clear the hump, he steamrolled through it.

The rookie delivered back-to-back 61s on Saturday and Sunday to achieve a stunning 29-under final score and secure victory at the RSM Classic.

This marked a record-breaking week for the former Texas Tech Red Raider as he held off 2016 winner Mackenzie Hughes to win by four shots.

“I felt like I was striking the ball very well all week. I’ve been striking the ball quite well over the last couple of months,” Åberg said. “It’s one of those weeks where everything kind of comes together… Mackenzie and I played some really good golf. He pushed me, and I think I pushed him as well. To make those few birdies when it matters is very, very cool.”

These two 61s represent the lowest closing 36 holes, by two shots, in PGA Tour history.

“I don’t think I’ve ever shot back-to-back 61s, to be fair. So that’s obviously something that I’ll probably never ever gonna do again,” Åberg said. “To do it here at Sea Island playing Seaside golf course is one of my favorites — visually, it’s really cool. I felt like I was playing well, then kind of got it all together when it mattered.”

Åberg played so well that he broke multiple records in the PGA Tour history books. He also obliterated the RSM’s 72-hole record by seven shots, previously set at 22-under by Talor Gooch in 2021 and Kevin Kisner in 2015.

Åberg also matched the lowest 72-hole total in PGA Tour history at 253, tying Justin Thomas’ 253 at the Sony Open in 2017.

The 24-year-old had the lowest 54-hole score ever in rounds two through four with 186 strokes.

Åberg wasted no time on Sunday, securing an early lead. He birdied the first hole to take a three-shot advantage and continued to display remarkable performance throughout the day.

The Swedish golfer made two more birdies on the par-4 5th and par-3 6th to go up by four. Hughes didn’t lay off the rookie though. The Canadian made three straight birdies to make the turn at 30 strokes and trail by two.

Åberg retaliated by sinking birdies on 10 and 11, firmly solidifying his lead. Despite a minor setback with a bogey on the par-3 12th, Åberg remained composed and focused.

It was his first bogey in 85 holes, dating back to the third round of the World Wide Technology Championship in Mexico.

“I was aware my first three rounds were bogey-free, so that bogey I made on 12 sucks,” he said. “I just try to stay where my feet are, and such a cliché, but hit the next shot as best I can. It’s really cool to sit back and look back at those things.”

He pulled a 4-iron out for the tee shot on 12 but unfortunately overshot it.

“My tendency is to flare it out a little bit to the right. It’s just one of them bad swings. I was a little bit in between clubs but tried to hit it hard and flared up to the right,” he explained.

While he was up by two heading into the final two holes, his putt on 17 was the most important of the tournament.

“I hit it way too hard, and it snapped at the end and went in, but that was quite cool,” Åberg said. “It makes the 18th hole a little bit more stress-free. I think I’m going to sleep well on that one.”

The rookie secured the tournament with a 19-foot birdie putt on the final hole, enhancing his triumph even more.

This remarkable performance marked his second win of the year, following his victory at the Omega European Masters on the DP World Tour. He is also a triumphant Ryder Cup member, playing a pivotal role for the Europeans.

“It’s been a wild six months, but it’s been so much fun,” he said. “I still pinch myself in the morning when I wake up to realize that this is what I do for a job. It’s been so much fun. These experiences that I’ve had over the last six months has been beyond my dreams and I’ll never forget it.”

It feels like just a few months ago he won the 2021 Jones Cup at Ocean Forest, and it seems like yesterday that he was finishing up his collegiate career. Now he has punched his ticket into the Masters and PGA Championship next year. Since he ranks No. 53 in the FedEx Cup Fall rankings and is part of the Next 10, he will also get into the first three Signature events of 2024.

Åberg is just starting his career. This week, he sent a message to the rest of the PGA Tour. This start to his career mirrors Tiger Woods’, so if you didn’t know him before this week, you should get to know him now.

His season isn’t over yet. Åberg will tee it up one more time at the inaugural Grant Thornton Invitational alongside Madelene Sagstrom in Naples, Fla.

Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. You can follow her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports for more golf coverage. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough too.