Takeaways on Players Championship 2nd round with Ludvig Åberg charging ahead

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. ― Let's get some grammatical issues out of the way.

It's pronounced, "Oh-berg."

And that little ring on the top of the first letter of Ludvig Åberg's last name is called an overring, or a diacritical mark.

This is important information for golf fans, because you're going to be hearing a lot about the 26-year-old native of Eslöv, Sweden and former Texas Tech golfer who flirted with the 18-hole record at the Players Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass on March 13 before finishing with a 63 to take a two-shot lead over Xander Schauffele (65) at 12-under-par 132, and three over Cameron Young (67).

It's also important for First Coast golf fans because he's one of you, having moved to the area in the Fall of 2024.

Åberg has been a major champion in waiting since his rookie season in 2023 when he got Tour status by finishing first on the PGA Tour University college rankings at Texas Tech.

He proceeded to win on either side of the Atlantic, the DP World Tour's Omega Masters and the PGA Tour's RSM Classic, where he shot 61-61 on the weekend at the Sea Island Resort Seaside Course, tying the Tour record for lowest score in relation to par for 72 holes at 29-under 253.

Åberg was also a captain's pick by Luke Donald for the Ryder Cup in Rome, where he went 2-2. Åberg combined with Viktor Hovland to rout Scottie Scheffler and Brooks Koepka 9 and 7 to set a record for the most lopsided Ryder Cup doubles result.

He's won a Signature Event, the 2025 Genesis Invitational. Åberg has a solo second and a solo seventh in two Masters starts and he was eighth in the 2024 Players Championship.

It's only a matter of time, and that may be this week.

How did the Players leaders get to the top?

Åberg: Six birdies, two eagles, one bogey. He eagled No. 2 on a 15-foot putt and No. 9 by chipping in from 35 feet to make two eagles in one round for the 37th time in Players history. Åberg's done it twice: he eagled Nos. 2 and 16 in the first round in 2024.

Åberg hit 8 of 14 fairways and 13 of 18 greens, and needed just 23 putts. He also had five drives of 323 yards or longer, topped by a massive 354-yard clout at the 15th hole.

Schauffele: Eight birdies, one bogey. He hit all 14 fairways and 16 of 18 greens.

Young: Six birdies, one bogey. He hit 11 of 14 fairways, 12 of 18 greens and needed only 26 putts.

Who else is contending?

Corey Conners (67) and 2021 Players champion Justin Thomas (68) are tied for fourth at 8-under. Sepp Straka (70) is alone in sixth at 7-under. Maverick McNealy (71), Lee Hodges (71) and Jacob Bridgeman (68) are tied for seventh at 6-under.

Brian Harman of St. Simons Island, Ga., made a big move with a 64 to get into a tie for 10th at 5-under with Tommy Fleetwood (70), Austin Smotherman (72), Michael Thorbjornsen (65), Hovland (70) and Russell Henley (71)

What about Rory and Scottie?

Defending champion Rory McIlroy birdied his last hole, the par-5 ninth, for a 71 to assure a spot in the weekend field at 1-over, one shot clear of the cutline. World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler held on with a 73 to make the weekend at 1-over, with an 8-foot birdie putt at No. 18. That made up for an embarrassing miss of a 30-inch putt for par at No. 16.

The Jordan Spieth Show

Jordan Spieth tried not to sound despondent.

But closing with a double bogey for the second day in a row doesn't make dinner taste very well.

Spieth also reminded everyone why he's won three major championships.

It was Good Jordan and Bad Jordan as he shot a 68 with an opening bogey and a closing double bogey to tie for 22nd at 3-under 141.

Spieth doubled the 18^th hole to end the first round when he hit a second shot into the water, then started the second round with a hacker’s bogey at the par-4 10th, after needing two blasts to get out of the right greenside bunker. 

It changed in a hurry when he started doing Jordan Spieth things ― such as making birdies at Nos. 2 and 18 after his drives hit trees. The birdie at No. 2 came on a 49-foot putt. He also birdied No. 1 on a 3-foot putt, No. 17 on a 6-footer and No. 4 on a 5-footer as his iron game was sharp.

But Spieth ended the day with a double bogey at No. 9, the product of a drive into the left rough. He required three more shots to get to the bunker surrounding the left of the green and three more to get down for a closing double bogey for the second day in a row. 

“It was just a bummer, both days finish with doubles,” he said. “I just played better than that. I've been playing really well, trying to let the course come to me. Don't have to force anything. It's not quite there yet, but it's like close enough to where I can do what I did today for a while. It's a weird deal, weird game.”