THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP

March 14, 2024

Ludvig Aberg

TPC Sawgrass

Quick Quotes

Q. Playing these big tournaments and these hard courses for the first time, is there something to be said for getting after it first round, I can shoot 5-under out here?

LUDVIG ABERG: I think I always know my own capabilities and abilities, and I think that's not going to change wherever you're playing. I think that's always going to try to show up. I didn't try to do anything extra today, just tried to keep playing the way I did over the weekend last weekend at Bay Hill. I felt like I was striking the ball quite well and putting myself in good positions and took advantage of a little bit softer conditions this morning.

Q. Playing the Junior PLAYERS a few years ago, did that help you as far as knowing what to expect?

LUDVIG ABERG: I think so. Obviously we played in August, so it was a little different Bermuda everywhere, but yeah, visually it's the same golf course. I was a little bit thinner and a little bit smaller back a couple years ago, so I didn't hit the ball quite as far, but AJGA put up an amazing tournaments for us at Junior PLAYERS, and this definitely helped me this week.

Q. How good was 67 today?

LUDVIG ABERG: I felt like I was quite in control, to be honest. I felt like I was striking the ball quite well. Never really put myself in danger of losing too many strokes. I made a pretty dumb three-putt on 7 for bogey, and that was my only bogey today.

I felt like I didn't do anything that would put me in danger of getting a lot higher score, but obviously super pleased with it.

Q. Can you talk me through the two eagles?

LUDVIG ABERG: Yeah, 16 was a little bit down off your left off the tee, and I hit a good drive.

Q. What club?

LUDVIG ABERG: Driver. Then I had about 160 meters, and I took a little bit off of a 7-iron, and I pushed it a little bit. I didn't try to go at the pin. I tried to be a little bit more left of it. Obviously hit a good shot and made a little six-footer or something like that for eagle.

Then No. 2, I also hit driver, it was a little bit down off your left again. If I remember correctly, I think I had 194 meters, 193 meters, and once again, all I tried to do was put it in the middle of the green and pushed it a little bit towards the pin and ended up making a putt.

Every time you make an eagle I always feel like it's a little bit of a bonus, but obviously hit some good shots and hit some good putts, too.

Q. Apart from that, what you described as a silly three-putt, nothing else sticks in your mind that you would --

LUDVIG ABERG: No, I felt like I took advantage of the par-5s. I feel like the morning rounds, the greens were still quite receptive, so you could be a little bit more aggressive into some of these greens, and I felt like we did that quite well.

Q. Knowing that you haven't yet played a major championship, I know that the Ryder Cup was a huge experience, but that's a team competition. Did this feel like one of the bigger events you've played on your own?

LUDVIG ABERG: I think so. I don't know what a major feels like, so I can't really compare it to that. But yes, obviously THE PLAYERS is the fifth major and it's a really big tournament. Once again, I try not to change the way that I approach a tournament. I always try to do the same things. It happens to be a big tournament, and that's what I enjoy playing.

Q. You won at Sea Island, not too far away from here. Is there something about golf in this part of the world that seems to work well with your golf game?

LUDVIG ABERG: Yeah, I guess, maybe a little bit so. I love the golf course. I love Florida. I love Jacksonville. I just happen to have been playing well in this part of the corner.