Ludvig Åberg opened the RBC Heritage with an 8-under 63 to grab the lead, while Viktor Hovland, Harris English and Scottie Scheffler stayed in range.
Ludvig Åberg wasted no time turning the page from Augusta. At the RBC Heritage, Åberg leaned on sharp iron play and a much cleaner round to post an 8-under 63 on Thursday, giving him the first-round lead at Harbour Town Golf Links.
That fast start matters because the RBC Heritage, Ludvig Åberg, Harbour Town Golf Links and the PGA Tour’s Signature Event schedule are all in focus this week after the Masters.
Åberg arrived in Hilton Head feeling better about his swing than his finish at Augusta suggested, and that confidence showed up quickly in windy, tricky conditions.
His round picked up steam with steady birdie chances and a clutch shot late.
The highlight came at the par-3 17th, where Åberg stuffed an 8-iron to about 15 feet and converted the putt to move in front by one. He closed with a par and finished a shot clear of Harris English and Viktor Hovland, who each carded 64s.
English kept the card clean all day and capped his round with a birdie, while Hovland also stayed bogey-free and did it without taking advantage of the par 5s.
That’s a strong sign for Hovland, who has been grinding to get his swing where he wants it and appears to be trending in the right direction.
A group at 65 included Gary Woodland, Matt Fitzpatrick and Rickie Fowler, while Collin Morikawa stayed in the mix with a 66. Scottie Scheffler, despite a wild opening tee shot that went out of bounds, recovered nicely for a 68.
Limiting the damage early kept him close, even after one of the strangest starts of the day.
Not everyone handled Harbour Town as well. Justin Thomas and Tommy Fleetwood both opened with 76s, leaving themselves work to do heading into Friday.
For now, though, this tournament belongs to Åberg. After a frustrating Masters, he looks locked in again, and that’s a dangerous development for the rest of the field.
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