Jordan Spieth issues verdict on Ludvig Aberg after being paired together at the Genesis Invitational

For some, it may have been surprising that Ludvig Åberg hadn’t secured a win on either the PGA Tour or the DP World Tour in 2024—until now. That wait is officially over after his impressive performance last week.

Jordan Spieth, who played alongside Åberg for the first two rounds, wasn’t at all shocked to see him claim victory, despite the young Swede’s challenging start at Torrey Pines.

“I think he’s going to start requesting to be paired with me all the time,” Spieth joked. “The only two times I’ve played with him were the Masters last year and this event. He almost won the Masters, and now he’s won here. Maybe I make the game look hard, and that gives him confidence or something. But I also missed the cut both times, so as much as I enjoy playing with him, I might need to avoid that pairing for a while.”

Reflecting on Åberg’s early struggles, Spieth acknowledged the difficult conditions.

“Thursday was brutal. The course was tough, the wind was strong, and the rain made things even trickier. He was playing well but got caught by some tough pin placements and missed a few short putts. I thought he shot two or three under, but he ended up at two over. Typically, when that happens, you come back the next day with some fire—and he did exactly that.”

As the tournament progressed, Åberg found his rhythm.

“He just couldn’t get anything to drop on the first day, but once a couple of putts fell early in the second round, he was back in control,” Spieth added. “After the first round, I told my wife he was one of the most impressive players I’ve seen in a long time. I wouldn’t be surprised if he wins a lot this year.”

Spieth compared Åberg’s breakthrough to Scottie Scheffler’s rise.

“The Ryder Cup experience is huge. It’s like trying to win a tournament every round. You play well there, and suddenly everything clicks. Look at Scottie—he hung in there, and once he started making putts early in the season, the wins followed. It was inevitable; it was just a matter of time. I feel the same about Åberg.”

Spieth finished with a lighthearted challenge to his peers.

“It’s our job now, while we’re still young enough, to step up and beat these guys.”