LA JOLLA, Calif. — There’s something eerie concerning the spot the place Ludvig Åberg made his birdie putt from that gained him the 2025 Genesis Invitational. It’s a well-known place to golf followers in every single place, to these sufficiently old to recollect the 2008 U.S. Open.
Åberg doesn’t do not forget that monumental main as he was solely eight years previous then. However he has seen movies of it. He is aware of what transpired.
Essentially the most indelible second of Tiger Woods’ illustrious profession occurred there. Woods made a 12-foot birdie putt on the 18th inexperienced, forcing a playoff with Rocco Mediate the subsequent day. Woods then went on to win his 14th main title.
Woods needed to make that putt, simply as Åberg — though from seven toes — wanted to make his to earn the most important victory of his profession on Sunday. The Swede did simply that, as his birdie-make on the 72nd gap capped off an exciting 6-under 66 that gave him a one-shot win over Maverick McNealy.
However Åberg’s win additionally cements him as a PGA Tour famous person. Not only a star — however a participant who can win on any golf course in opposition to anybody at any time. He has been talked about as a prodigy for years, however he’s not on the rise. He has arrived. His play down the stretch on Sunday proved that.
Åberg got here dwelling with a 4-under 32, the bottom again 9 rating carded by any participant on Sunday. He made a terrific par save on the twelfth gap, draining a six-footer he needed to have. He stated if he had missed that putt, he most likely wouldn’t go on to win.
The Swede then rattled off three straight birdies on 13, 14, and 15, vaulting himself to 11-under for the championship and right into a tie with McNealy atop the leaderboard.
“I positively noticed what [McNealy] was doing; I checked out all of the leaderboards that I may. Clearly, I believe he bought to 12 [under] fairly early, and I used to be caught at seven-, eight-under, one thing like that,” Åberg stated of his mindset on the again 9.
“All I attempted to do as soon as I noticed that he posted 11 [under] was simply to get to 12, actually.”
Åberg bought to 12-under, due to his par-breaker on the closing gap that gained him the event. He knew he would obtain the trophy if he bought there, and he delivered, doing what the most effective gamers do underneath strain.
Jack Milko is a golf employees author for SB Nation’s Enjoying By way of. Comply with him on X @jack_milko.
