Ludwig Aberg shot 63 in the first round at Torrey Pines three weeks ago and he looked like he was going to run and hide to win that tournament.  On Day 2 of that event, he started to experience flu like symptoms and he was barely able to survive physically in his weakened state and this illness would proceed to last throughout  the AT&T at Pebble Beach which he had to sit out.  Aberg would make quite a re-return to the South Course at Torrey Pines this week at the Genesis.

The devastation of the Pacific Palisades wildfires made it inpracticable to have the Genesis Open at Riviera.  It would be impossible to host a PGA event in the middle of a devastated neighborhood so the tournament was moved back to Torrey Pines as the PGA Tour scrambled to put another event there together.  Torrey Pines responded wonderfully to the challenge as the Genesis moved to the South Course.  The South Course  is proving to be the most challenging venue on the PGA Tour as the microclimate by the ocean provides cool temperatures, and potential winds that blow in different directions.  The course is also categorized with narrower fairways, well-placed bunkers and punishing rough that is at least a half-shot penalty stroke.

The first day of the tournament was brutal with cold weather, rain, and wind adding significant pain to the spongy rough and ricketety greens impacted by the weather.  The average score in the first round was 74 with the players acknowledging that par was the standard of the day and the goal was to survive rather than the usual “going low.”    The leaderboard essentially became a bingo card with as many fifteen players in contention at various times.  The weather eased towards normalcy for the final three rounds and the South Course merely played difficult as opposed to impossible.  Birdies were there for the taking but you had the drive the ball in the fairway.  Unlike other PGA Tour venues, missing the fairways and ending up in the rough cost players dearly on the leaderboard and you only have to ask Scottie Scheffler about this.   You are better off landing in the fairway bunkers.  Holes such as the par 5th, 13th hole, which the players take on as a birdie hole played to par or slightly above par in these conditions.  The 11th and 12th (particularly the 12th) long par 4’s extracted significant pain from the field.

Scheffler holes out in the final round

Non PGA Tour winners Patrick Rodgers and Denny McCarthy were in the lead going into the final round but the South Course would prove to be a challenge too far especially with the horde of players chasing them including Aberg, Cantlay, McIlroy,Scheffler, Finau, Thompson (Davis), Fleetwood and others.  McCarthy continues to be one of the best putters on tour but didn’t have the length to match his pursuers.  Rory McIlroy really looked as if he was going to be a factor in this event with majestic tee shots and some stellar iron play.  However, McIlroy’s third round deteriorated due to missing short putts with some indifferent wedge play as well, which has hampered him in the recent past.  Maverick McNealy came out of nowhere to take the lead late in the final round with a blistering birdie barrage but came up one birdie short.  McNealy’s performance shooting 64 was incredible.  Scottie Scheffler lost the plot with his driver during the third round and with a few putting lip outs, he ballooned to a 76 but was still in contention.  You could tell that Scheffler was a just a bit “off” and that he would be back in the final round and he responded with a 66 to finish two shots back.  Davis Thompson, who was leading early in the event, faded in the third round.  While McNealy was overtaking the field, Aberg was plodding along and staying close before he started his own birdie feast on the difficult 11th hole and survived the tough 12th.  The big move game with four consecutive birdies down the stretch to tie McNealy.  The 18th hole at the South Course is a birdie hole for these guys if the weather is at least neutral as the player can carry the pond and reach the green in 2.  Aberg’s second shot landed some 65 feel from the pin on 18 and he would need a two putt to cement the victory.  His first effort snaked around to the left of the hole some 7 feel away to secure the victory–not exactly at easy effort but Aberg, without much fanfare, drained the putt for a well deserved but improbable victory.  Aberg’s success here makes him a favorite for a pretty successful year and a potential US Open championship.  He is also tearing up the TGL tour as well leading his simulation golf team to victory.

The Latest Chapter in the PGA/LIV Soap Opera

Tiger Woods was interviewed during the Genesis and was asked point blank regarding negotiations between the PGA and LIV Tour.  Tiger was decidedly optimistic in his remarks without details but his demeanor tells me that the two sides might be talking but they are not close to resolution.   It would seem that Woods would dispute this assertion,  but his demeanor speaks volumes as if he has given his input to both sides.  Perhaps his input is being considered but no one seems to know what it is or how important it might be to unite the professional tours.  My sensation, perhaps erroneous, is that the MONEY issues are too great to get all the professionals playing together again.  The Tour continues to lose viewers on its telecasts and LIV doesn’t have any viewers anyway–LIV players have little to care about as their financial future is secure but the golf reputation is forever tarnished.  I would be surprised if resolution is in the near future as the financial issues to equalize playing purses, the governance structure and overall operational control seem to be huge issues that aren’t even articulated publicly.