What Ludvig Åberg Can Prove at Riviera

In today’s fractured golf world, for which player would a successful week at the Genesis Invitational matter most?

Riviera Country Club is not your standard Tour pitch-and-putt. Distance gains and technological advancements have reduced the challenge imposed by Riviera, but this is still one the stoutest tests on the schedule, much more akin to a major championship than the vast majority of golf courses that will host PGA Tour events this season.

Success at Riviera carries explicit perks: a massive paycheck, a bunch of FedEx Cup points, job security, Official PGA Tour World Rankings points, etc. But success at Riviera comes with a less tangible benefit, too. A strong week at Riv should instill a sense of confidence within players that they can beat many of the best players in the world on a historic, demanding golf course.

With that in mind, a successful week at the Genesis Invitational may matter to Ludvig Åberg more than any other player in the field. Since making his professional debut last June, Åberg is on a sensational run of golf. In his last 12 global starts, he’s notched two wins and 10 top-20 finishes. His immediate success on the PGA Tour should not be taken for granted or discredited. Many highly-anticipated prospects never achieve what Åberg has already accomplished in less than a year. He’s been phenomenal. I will note, though, that many of the courses on which Åberg has thrived don’t test golfers like Riviera Country Club will this week, even if it’s been a little bit softened by a recent barrage of rain.

Specifically, I’m eager to see how Åberg’s long iron performance stacks up with some of the best iron players in the world at Riviera, a golf course with longer approach shots than many of the PGA Tour courses Åberg has played to date. To be clear, I don’t doubt Åberg’s long iron ability; he is a strong ball-striker and finished 6th in Strokes Gained: Approach at Torrey Pines, another lengthy, long-iron heavy golf course. At the same time, he showed some weakness in his long iron play during the Ryder Cup at Marco Simone. I just want to see more long iron shots before concluding anything about Åberg’s major championship prospects.

At 24, Ludvig Åberg is undeniably one of the most exciting young prospects in golf. He’s entered the discussion as a potential top player in the world, which comes with a certain set of expectations. Joaquin Niemann, for reference, won a full-field Genesis Invitational by two shots at 23.

If Åberg struggles this week, though, there is no need to panic. Golf is a high-variance sport, and bad weeks happen to everybody not named Scottie Scheffler. But as we approach major championship season, Åberg could gain some confidence from staring down some of the best professional golfers in the world and posting a strong finish on an iconic, formidable golf course. In my opinion, he has the most to gain at Riviera this week.

This piece originally appeared in the Fried Egg Golf newsletter. Subscribe for free and receive golf news and insight every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.