LA JOLLA, CA – FEBRUARY 16: Ludvig Aberg celebrates with his caddie Joe Skovron after winning The … [+] Genesis Invitational 2025 at Torrey Pines Golf Course on February 16, 2025 in La Jolla, California. (Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
During the third round of the Genesis Invitational, Ludvig Åberg, the pride of Eslöv, Sweden, strode into the tee box of Torrey Pines South Course’s signature downhill par-3 third hole, overlooking the La Jolla coast. The blue-eyed 25-year-old, at the time sitting in sixth place, locked in and executed a crisp, precisely struck pitching wedge. His ball landed just right of the pin, spun back on impact, and pirouetted around the cup’s edge before rattling in for an ace.
Åberg rode that momentum to victory, his $4 million winner’s check adding to an already lucrative start to the season and positioning him as the PGA Tour’s current top earner.
Golf aficionados have been high on Åberg since he burst onto the pro scene in the summer of 2023 becoming the first college player to gain direct access to the top circuit via the PGA Tour University program. Mere months into his career, the Adidas sponsored golfer—who originally inked an NIL deal with the three-stripe brand during his senior year at Texas Tech—was already hoisting trophies. He scored his maiden DP World Tour title at the Omega European Masters that September followed up by a leaderboard topping performance at the PGA Tour’s RSM Classic a couple months later.
Sandwiched between his first two professional wins, Åberg became a Ryder Cup hero in Rome on the fairways of Marco Simone Golf & Country Club. Teaming-up with fellow Scandinavian Viktor Hovland, the duo trounced Scottie Scheffler and Brooks Koepka—leaving the former in tears. They wrapped up the contest 9 up with 7 holes remaining, setting a Ryder Cup record for the largest margin of victory in a foursomes match.
That validating blowout vaulted Åberg into the top echelon of stone-cold contenders—and proved to him that he could beat the game’s very best
“It definitely told me I was able to do so. Before, I didn’t really know. I definitely thought I could, but up until that point I hadn’t really proven that,” Åberg reflected. “It was definitely really nice to be able to do that, although the score was kind of a freak result that no one was really expecting.”
Flash forward to the 2024 Masters, Åberg’s first, and once again the Swede who swings as smooth as lingonberry jam injected himself into the conversation, finishing first runner-up. The achievement is documented in the first episode of the new season of Netflix’s Full Swing docuseries.
The golf pundit rule of thumb on Augusta National has long been that experience is key to excelling. Fuzzy Zoeller famously won the tournament in his first attempt back in 1979, a notable exception that highlights the rule. Åberg’s debut defied convention, adding another wrinkle to the theory. So, is experience truly a key ingredient to success on the hallowed grounds of the Masters?
“I had a lot of experience through my caddie, even though I hadn’t been there, he’d been there a ton. So, that definitely helped me a lot,” Åberg explained. “It’s a real cool place, it’s a special iconic golf course. Experience helps, but I think what we were able to do last year was pretty cool.”
Avid golf fans, already onboard the Åberg train, have long viewed him as an unflappable birdie-sinking machine. But in his Full Swing episode, he displayed his softer side outside the ropes, offering an intimate glimpse into his relationship with girlfriend Olivia Peet, who shares thoughtful advice and offers valuable perspective in their conversations about what makes the Masters a different animal, helping ease his jitters going into the weekend.
“It told me and my girlfriend’s story a little bit more to an audience that is not super consistent with the audience we normally see at PGA Tour events. I never really thought I’d be on Netflix, I thought it was cool,” he said.
In a lighter moment in the ep, Åberg reveals that while he’s not a coffee snob, his espresso machine is one of his favorite gizmos in his house in Ponte Vedra, Florida. Asked if his local café were to name a cup of joe after him, he doesn’t hesitate.
“Normally I do some sort of cappuccino. If I go to a pickup store, I do a flat white. Probably, something along those lines.”
World No 1. Scottie Scheffler, a fellow arabica bean connoisseur, abstains from java during tournament rounds. Åberg isn’t one to forego his coffee fix.
“I think at this point, I’m over the hump of caffeine affecting me and I think I’ll keep drinking it during tournament time, it’s not something that is bothering me. I’m actually drinking one right now as we speak” he added.
LA JOLLA, CA – FEBRUARY 16: Ludvig Aberg holds the trophy, next to Tiger Woods, after winning The … [+] Genesis Invitational 2025 at Torrey Pines Golf Course on February 16, 2025 in La Jolla, California. (Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
American Halloween Hits Different
Born on October 31, Åberg never thought much about sharing his birthday with Halloween—back home in Sweden, the holiday wasn’t a major event. But after moving to the U.S. for college, he quickly realized the magnitude of the spookfest.
“It’s funny because I never really thought about it because it’s not that big a thing back home where I grew up. But then I came over to college and all of a sudden it was a lot bigger. It was cool, I mean, we had some fun parties on that day but nothing too fancy.”
Spinning Tracks, Not Making Them
In his Full Swing episode, Åberg jokes with Olivia about becoming a DJ as a sideline. Turns out, while EDM is his jam, he’s more a press play kinda guy than a beat maker. As a Swede, he’s naturally plugged into his home country’s deep roots in electronic music. He’s a fan of the late Avicii, with remixes of the acclaimed artist’s work remaining a staple in his rotation. Åberg also gets a kick out of discovering DJs from all over the world. But don’t count on seeing him behind the decks anytime soon.
“I wouldn’t make my own, that would be taking it a step further but I like listening to it, I’m a big EDM guy, I like to go down a rabbit hole on Spotify and find some random songs. I like to play it and sometimes put it on the speaker. It’s a big step to understanding the music myself, I’m not musically gifted, I don’t have the feel for that but I do like listening to it.”
