Åberg grew up watching Henrik Stenson win The Open, so this fourth major means a lot to him, causing him to push harder.
Ludvig Åberg makes his Open Championship debut this week, and it will be a special one for him.
The 152nd Open is at Royal Troon for the first time since 2016, when fellow Swede Henrik Stenson won. He defeated Phil Mickelson that year, and it was one championship that Åberg often refers to.
“I’ve said that a few times before, that day should be a national holiday in Sweden,” Åberg said Monday before The Open. “It was a very cool day. I vividly remember watching that with my friends, and it’s cool to see what he’s done for Swedish golf, and he’s doing, so obviously, was the pinnacle of that.”
The Open Championship is the oldest major, and it seems to hold a little more weight, especially for European players. While many American players had three majors, global golfers did not— the Open was what they aspired to win.
“It is the one that’s closer to home, and it is the one that I’ve watched growing up a little bit more, a little bit closer. I feel that connection to The Open and the UK,” he said. “I love being here.”
Åberg is No. 4 in the Official World Golf Rankings, and this marks just his fourth start in a major. He has been on the PGA Tour for over a year and did things his way.
Many know he played in the Ryder Cup before a major, but he has not disappointed in two of the three championships this year. At Augusta National, he was the only player who could challenge Scottie Scheffler down the stretch. The former Texas Tech Red Raider finished solo second that week.
He did miss the cut at Valhalla for the PGA Championship, but that was the only time he had not played the weekend all year.
At the U.S. Open, the Swedish phenom contended at Pinehurst No. 2. While he did slip a little down the leaderboard, Åberg settled for a nice T12 finish.
Not to mention, since joining the PGA Tour, the 2023 RSM Classic winner has had three runner-up finishes, seven Top 5s, and 11 Top 10s in 31 starts.
“It’s been a lot of fun these last 12, 13 months,” he said. “Very fortunate to have had a lot of those experiences. Ultimately, I’m just trying to play good golf and trying to have fun with me and my team and my coaches and whatnot. It’s cool. Hopefully, we’ll have many, many more years to come.”
His early success has garnered attention — a lot of it — but Åberg remains the same. He has goals and standards for himself. However, this week, the expectations are much higher.
“I’m always going to have high expectations because I know what I can do, and I know my abilities,” Åberg said.
He comes into this week with some confidence after the momentum he built up at the Genesis Scottish Open. While he could not seal the deal, a T4 finish is still impressive. Åberg’s game fits Royal Troon, so this could be his week to shine and become the first Swede since Stenson to call himself The Open champion.
Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. For more golf coverage, follow us @_PlayingThrough on all major social platforms. You can also follow her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @golf_girl_sl.
