PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FLORIDA | There has been a sense for a while now that Ludvig Åberg’s big moment was not far away.
It has never been closer than Sunday when the 26-year-old Swede with the simple, elegant swing will take a three-stroke lead over his friend Michael Thorbjornsen into the final round of the Players Championship at the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass.
Åberg – who has two PGA Tour wins, two Ryder Cup appearances and contended on Sunday at the 2024 Masters – knows where he sits and embraces the opportunity.
“I think about winning a lot, what it would look like, what it would feel like. I think a lot about the scenarios. I did it in college (at Texas Tech) and I still do it,” said Åberg, who sits at 13-under par 203 after a 1-under 71 on Saturday.
“I’m trying to embrace it and all those things that come with it. That’s why we play golf. Does it change anything for me tomorrow? I don’t think so.”
Åberg put this week in motion last week at the Arnold Palmer Invitational where he finished tied for third, his best result since winning the relocated Genesis Invitational at Torrey Pines in early 2025.
Looking to jolt his Saturday round to life, Åberg found it with an eagle at the par-3 11th hole, pushing his lead to four, a margin he maintained until his closing three-putt bogey.
Åberg bulled his way to the lead in Friday’s second round when he got off to a heavenly start, playing the first three holes in 4-under par, initiating what would ultimately be a tournament-best 9-under par 63.
“I saw some nice things over the weekend at Pebble in my game. I saw some nice things at (Riviera), even though I got off to a slow start in the tournament. Just kind of progressively getting better,” Åberg said.
“I feel like I’ve understood a little bit more what’s important for me in my golf swing and kind of sticking to that, not necessarily trying to look away other ways around it, and keeping it very simple.
“I think my mind is very good when it’s simple, and when things are very easy, and that’s what I’ve felt like I’ve been able to do over the last couple of weeks.”
“I’ll definitely be nervous, I’ve been nervous the last three days. I’m nervous every time I step on the 17th tee box. It’s a part of why everyone plays.” – Ludvig Åberg
Åberg played the last three holes Saturday in 1-over par, failing to birdie the par-5 16th or the gettable short 17th. Three-putting the final green “annoyed” him.
Typically one of the tour’s quickest players, Åberg said he has to make a conscious effort to slow himself down in stressful situations, which Sunday figures to be.
“I’ll definitely be nervous, I’ve been nervous the last three days,” Åberg said. “I’m nervous every time I step on the 17th tee box. It’s a part of why everyone plays.”
Like Åberg, Thorbjornsen lives close to the Stadium Course and the two sometimes play practice rounds together, most often at the nearby Valley Course.
“He’s a great guy. I love playing golf with him,” Thorbjornsen said of Åberg.
“He was one of the guys in college that I looked up to, even though he’s only one year older than me. Very solid, very solid player. I think his mental game is extremely good as well.”
Like Åberg, Thorbjornsen earned his spot on the tour by leading the PGA Tour U and, similar to his friend, he has quickly made himself comfortable.
Thorbjornsen led PGA Tour U in 2024 while playing at Stanford. He was runner-up at the 2024 John Deere Classic in just his third start after turning pro, the first of two runner-up finishes in his career.
“If you keep putting yourself in that position, it’s going to happen at some point,” Thorbjornsen said. “So I think that’s really the main goal of all of us players out here is to have a chance or be in contention on the back nine on Sunday, and however the cards may fall, that’s just how it is.”
As Saturdays at the Players Championship go, this one lacked a bit of the famous energy. Robert MacIntyre shot 65 but still didn’t get inside the top 10 entering the final round. Otherwise, firm greens and enough breeze to demand attention added spice to the Stadium Course.
“It’s pretty much if you hit a bad shot you make a double for the most part. So there’s not much room for error,” said Cameron Young.
Nevertheless, there were enough of the customary quirks to season this Players. Jacob Bridgeman, who was in second place for a time, fell back but managed to make a birdie on the par-5 16th despite hitting his second shot into the water behind the green.
The par-4 18th bolstered its reputation as one of the PGA Tour’s most dangerous holes.
The beneficiary of a penalty drop on the green, Bridgeman holed a 35-footer for the unconventional birdie.
The par-4 18th bolstered its reputation as one of the PGA Tour’s most dangerous holes. Matt Fitzpatrick, who is among a five-way tie for fourth at five shots off the lead, double-bogeyed the finishing hole. So did Young, who made his Sunday challenge much more difficult by chopping up the closing hole, making a six after hitting his tee shot in the water.
“Honestly, the tee shot wasn’t bad,” said Young, who is alone in third at 9-under. “I almost bent over to pick up the tee when I hit it. There’s a bunch of wind up there, and it just kept turning and turning and was a foot too much.”
The day began with news that two people had been shot and killed in the parking lot of a nearby Walgreens Friday evening with the suspect fleeing to the grounds of the Stadium Course.
The suspect, Christian Barrios, was eventually captured Saturday morning approximately one hour north of TPC Sawgrass. The overnight events, however, led tournament officials to delay opening the gates.