After two rounds at the U.S. Open, Ludvig Åberg has taken control of the leaderboard. This is his first U.S. Open, and in fact, he had never played in a major tournament before this year. Despite his lack of experience, he is managing to navigate the challenging course at Pinehurst better than seasoned players like Scottie Scheffler, Brooks Koepka, and Tiger Woods.
Åberg’s impressive performance has caught the attention of his fellow competitors. Tony Finau described him as a “machine” who is making the game look easy by hitting fairways and greens consistently. Åberg himself acknowledged the difficulty of the U.S. Open course and expressed gratitude for how things have been going for him so far.
While Åberg currently leads the pack, he is closely followed by players like Patrick Cantlay, Rory McIlroy, Matthieu Pavon, Bryson DeChambeau, Thomas Detry, and Finau within the top seven. Only DeChambeau and McIlroy have major wins under their belts. Francesco Molinari provided an exciting moment with a hole-in-one on his final hole to make the cut.
Despite the manageable conditions at Pinehurst thus far, players expect the course to become more challenging as the weekend progresses due to the forecast of scorching temperatures and clear skies. Cantlay emphasized the importance of being smart and patient in order to navigate the difficulties that a U.S. Open presents.
As the tournament moves forward, the question remains whether the experience of veteran players or the fearlessness of someone like Åberg will prove to be more advantageous in the face of potential challenges on the course.