One thing that keeps professional athletes going even in their worst of times is their mental strength. And it is no different when talking about Ludvig Åberg’s latest win at the Genesis Invitational.
On Sunday, the Swedish golfer secured his second PGA Tour title, finishing 12-under par. And he did it in style with three successive birdies on 13, 14, and 15, and a final flourish on 18, beating Maverick McNealy by one shot.
Åberg found himself trailing McNealy by three strokes on the back nine and was running out of time. Believe it or not, it was not even a par-breaker that saved his round, though.
“Big putt on 12 for par,” Åberg said afterward. “I think if I hadn’t made that one, I don’t think I would have won today.”
Aberg continued: “Knowing that 13 is a reachable par-5 and sort of struggled with the tee shot on 14 yesterday, it was nice to hit a nice draw in the fairway and top it off with a couple of birdies as well coming in.”
Interestingly, his 18th-hole putt was reminiscent of Tiger Woods‘ 2008 US Open win.
“I guess his [Woods’] was a little bit longer, but it was a similar line. That’s pretty cool.”
But what makes Aberg’s victory even more remarkable is that it occurred following a brutal illness that saw him lose eight pounds in just two days.
As he explained after the second round, “It sort of was OK for a couple of days, and then at Pebble, it kind of shifted to like feverish and almost like body aches and shivering. First, I was really hot, then I got really cold.”
So, what fueled Aberg’s iconic win and staggering comeback? According to the 25-year-old, it was self-analysis.
“I felt like I had to [withdraw] at Pebble just to give myself some time to recover and be ready for this one. Sort of knowing how last week was at home, basically a little bit of survival mode, but to come here to win this event is really special,” expressed Ludvig Aberg after securing $4 million under his name.
Following a strong opening round of 63, Ludvig Aberg struggled through the final 54 holes of the Farmers Insurance Open and subsequently withdrew from the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am the following week.
However, the Swedish phenom’s personal life played a significant role in keeping him motivated. Being around his loved ones brought him joy, even when his game wasn’t firing on all cylinders.
Aberg also expressed his gratitude for the support he received from his girlfriend, Olivia Peet, who was by his side throughout the week.
“It was a really cool finish to a great week. I’ve had my girlfriend here all week; my coach came in Friday night, and I’ve had some other guys on my team being with me all week. It was really cool, and it felt like we did it together.”
McNealy secured $2.2 million for his second place finish, while the World No. 1, Scottie Scheffler, finished solo third at 9-under.
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