The result of a soft golf course was a first-round scoring average of 69.82 and a field that was a combined 86-under par. Half the holes played under par for the day, and the field averaged four birdies per round.
Aberg’s lovely, arcing approach landed on playing partner Collin Morikawa’s ball like an Acme Anvil on Wile-E-Coyote, sending both balls squirming off the green.
The squad named The Bay Club and representing the San Francisco Bay Area will feature reigning US Open champion Wyndham Clark, PGA Tour rookie and world No.6 Ludvig Aberg, 2019 Open Championship winner Shane Lowry and Australia’s Min Woo Lee.
It’s no surprise that the PGA Tour’s recent deal with the Strategic Sports Group (SSG) could serve as a calculated hedge against a continued spending war with LIV Golf and the Saudi Public Investment Fund.
Finishing runner-up at Pebble Beach moved Aberg all the way up to 11th in the world ranking, an amazing accomplishment considering the Swede turned pro only last June.
Aberg said on a Eurosport podcast that he is “super confident” in his decision to play on the PGA Tour rather than the LIV Golf League that is run by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.