Scottie Scheffler takes one-shot lead into final round of Masters
World number one Scottie Scheffler will take a one-shot lead into the final round of the Masters after a rollercoaster third day at Augusta National.
PA Media – Sport
Swedish golfer Ludvig Aberg looked to make history Sunday as the first Masters Tournament rookie to win a green jacket since Fuzzy Zoeller in 1979.
The accomplishment would have been a big deal in his native country.
In Tallahassee, too.
The 24-year-old recently moved to Tallahassee, where he lives with friend and former Florida State golfer Vince Norrman.
Aberg also plays at Seminole Legacy Golf Club.
Aberg looked at home at Augusta National Golf Club, shooting a 7-under par 281 (73-69-70-69) over 72 holes to finish in second place and 4 strokes behind winner Scottie Scheffler.
According to ESPN, Aberg is the first player with a top-2 finish in his major debut since Keegan Bradley won the 2011 PGA.
“This being my first major championship, you never really know what it’s going to be like until you’re there and experience it,” Aberg told Golfweek. “I think this week has given me a lot of experiences and a lot of lessons learned in terms of those things.
“It makes me really hungry, and it makes me want to do it again and again.”
Aberg’s lone blemish Sunday during his 3-under par 69 was on the par-4 11th. His approach shot bounced left into the pond, and he made a double-bogey 6 and fell 4 shots behind Scheffler.
Aberg, however, played 2-under over the final seven holes to secure the runner-up spot. With a top-12 finish, Aberg has secured an invitation to the 2025 Masters Tournament.
He earned $2.6 million for his second-place finish.
Aberg shares his decision to move to Tallahassee
Aberg is a rising star in professional golf, enjoying a whirlwind three months last fall.
In September 2023, he birdied four of his final five holes to land his first professional title at the Omega European Masters in Switzerland. He then was announced by European captain Luke Donald as one of his six captain’s picks for Team Europe at the 2023 Ryder Cup.
Aberg went 2-2-0 and helped Europe win the event over the United States, 161⁄2–111⁄2.
Last November, Åberg won his first tournament on the PGA Tour at the RSM Classic, where he shot back-to-back rounds of 61 on the weekend to finish at 29-under-par. That win secured Aberg an invitation to the 2024 Masters.
He also shared his intention with the media following the RSM Classic in St. Simons Island, Georgia, to move to Tallahassee.
“So I’m moving to Tallahassee, Florida,” Aberg said.
“One of my good friends, Vincent Norrman, who also plays out here, he asked me if I wanted to hop in his guest room and I said yeah. So he’s going to be my landlord for a little bit. It will be nice to kind of keep that social connection and social network that I had in college and to stay with him for a little bit.”
Aberg was one of eight players within five shots of leader Scheffler heading into Sunday’s final round. Max Homa, Collin Morikawa and Tommy Fleetwood tied for for third at 4 under.
Aberg played golf at Texas Tech and was rose rose to number one in the World Amateur Golf Ranking for the first time in September 2022.
He turned professional in June 2023 and is currently No. 9 in the PGA Tour world rankings. CBS commentators during the national broadcast Sunday pointed to Aberg’s relaxed demeanor and smile during the final round.
“Very nice and genuine,” FSU women’s golf coach Amy Bond said Sunday of Aberg.
“Easy to like. What you see on television is him.”
Christine Lake is a sports fanatic who lives and breathes athletics. With an extensive background in sports journalism, he covers everything from major league championships to grassroots sports events. When she’s not on the field or at the stadium, you’ll find Christine coaching youth sports teams.
