Stars align for halfway leader Ludvig Aberg at US Open

PINEHURST – Ludvig Aberg claimed a one-stroke halfway lead on June 14 in a dream US Open debut, but said his biggest “pinch-me moment” at Pinehurst Resort might be playing alongside the stars he has long admired.

The tricky North Carolina course humbled some of the biggest names in the sport this week but could not slow down the 24-year-old Swede, who had three birdies and two bogeys for a one-under 69 to total five-under 135.

“Sometimes I have to stop for a little bit and think about how fortunate I am to be able to do this at this level,” he said.

“To be able to play these tournaments, to be able to play with the guys I’ve watched on TV for such a long time is definitely a pinch-me moment.”

The Masters runner-up has enjoyed a tremendous run since collecting his first win on the PGA Tour in November 2023 at the RSM Classic, finishing in the top 10 on six occasions in 2024.

Aberg put in work with his swing coach earlier in the week that has clearly paid off, as he found the fairways with laser-like accuracy, and his putter has worked to his advantage as well.

“As a golfer, you’re always going to have tendencies. You’re always going to have something in your swing that you’re going to work on,” he said. “And that’s the case for me as well. We worked on those tendencies.”

While he is still in some ways a new kid on the block, Aberg has the benefit of having played at Pinehurst in the US Amateur in 2019, a humbling experience that prepared him for this week’s Major.

“I remember it was one of my first experiences coming over and playing a really hard golf course in America, and I was like, ‘Is this what golf in America is like’?,” he said.

“Luckily it’s not like this every week.”

Bryson DeChambeau, who had five birdies and four bogeys for a 69, and Belgium’s Thomas Detry, who shot 67, are among the golfers one shot back at four under.

They were joined by first-round co-leader Patrick Cantlay (71), who overcame a double-bogey on No. 8.

It was another round of difficulty as golfers played on a day with rising temperatures and heat advisories.

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler was in danger of missing the cut after a 74. He was part of a long list of golfers at five over, directly on the cut line.

“This golf course can be unpredictable at times, and maybe it got the better of me the last couple days,” he said.

Tiger Woods was not as fortunate, missing the cut.

The 15-time Major champion, who shot 74 in the first round, had his only birdie on No. 4, and the three-time US Open winner played the last 14 holes in four over to card a 73 and fall to seven over.

“In order to win a golf tournament, you have to make the cut,” the 48-year-old said.

“I can’t win the tournament from where I’m at, so it certainly is frustrating. I thought I played well enough to be up there in contention. It just didn’t work out.”

REUTERS, AFP