Forward of this week’s Farmers Insurance coverage Open, Ludvig Åberg sat down within the media middle for his pre-tournament press convention and raved about San Diego being his favourite place on the earth. He talked about how Torrey Pines brings him peace, too, and the way it’s a golf course that fits his eye.
“It’s essential to drive it properly, hit it excessive to get into a few of these greens, and putt it properly, so I like my possibilities once I’m enjoying at Torrey,” Åberg defined.
“That’s one of many explanation why I had it circled on my calendar. It’s a pleasant place to begin the 12 months, and I’m wanting ahead to maintaining it going.”
No surprise why he dominated on Wednesday. Åberg posted a 9-under 63 and now sits atop the leaderboard on their lonesome after day one.
Åberg wasted no time in getting it occurring the North Course both. The European Ryder Cup star started his spherical in outstanding trend, making birdies on 4 of his first 5 holes. He then added an eagle on the par-5 seventeenth, as his 19-footer curled into the underside of the cup from the appropriate aspect. The Swede then had a outstanding probability for a gap 29 on the 18th, however his six-footer for birdie missed on the low aspect.
However in true Åberg trend, he bounced again with one other birdie make on his tenth gap of the day, the par-4 1st. He caught a wedge shot to about 5 ft and buried the putt for his seventh par-breaker in 10 holes.
A bogey on the 2nd set him again a bit, as Åberg missed the green and located a buried lie off the tee. He might solely muster a chip-out for his second shot and couldn’t stand up and down together with his third. However he rebounded properly once more, making birdies on the fifth, seventh, and ninth holes to publish a 3-under 33 on his again 9.
“Felt like I used to be driving the ball rather well,” Åberg stated of his opening spherical.
“Golf turns into so much simpler when you are able to do that. Despite the fact that North is slightly bit simpler than South, it nonetheless presents its challenges and also you’ve nonetheless obtained to hit the pictures. Tremendous proud of the way in which we form of got here out of the gates at this time and performed some good golf.”
He hit 16-of-18 greens in regulation and missed solely 4 fairways, enjoying close to flawless golf in his second PGA Tour begin of the 12 months. The golf world final noticed Åberg within the first-ever TGL match on Jan. 7, two days after he tied for fifth at The Sentry in Maui. However now Åberg has his sights set on successful a PGA Tour occasion for the primary time because the 2023 RSM Traditional. He’s in a terrific place to take action at certainly one of his favourite locations on the earth.
Jack Milko is a golf workers author for SB Nation’s Enjoying By. Comply with him on X @jack_milko.