Ludvig Aberg claims second PGA Tour title at Genesis Invitational

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Sweden’s Ludvig Aberg produced a brilliant finish to win his second PGA Tour title in the Genesis Invitational.

Aberg birdied four of the last six holes at Torrey Pines to complete a final round of 66 and finish 12 under par, a shot ahead of American Maverick McNealy.

McNealy had set the clubhouse target following a closing 64 but ultimately paid the price for covering the last five holes in one over par.

The 29-year-old had to hole from 38 feet to save par on the first, but birdied the next five holes in a row and picked up another shot on the ninth to reach the turn in 30.

Further birdies on the 10th, 11th and 13th briefly gave McNealy a three-shot lead before he dropped his only shot of the day on the 14th after failing to get up and down from a greenside bunker.

Aberg, who had covered the front nine in 34, still need a strong finish to force himself into contention and duly birdied the 13th, 14th and 15th before two-putting from 70 feet for birdie on the par-five 18th.

“It was awesome,” Aberg told CBS. “It was a great fight.

“Obviously the golf course is tough but felt like I was in control of the ball flight all day and really proud of the way that I finished, it was really cool.

“The [par] putt on 12 was big because I think at that point the lead was at 12 [under] and it was a putt to stay at eight. I made it, which was nice, then a couple of a birdies and it was so much fun coming down the last few holes trying to win a tournament.

“It really is a special feeling.”

McNealy, who had started the day five shots off the lead held by Patrick Rodgers, said: “It’s more than I could have asked for to start the day.

“It was one of those things where I got on a roll early and there were some gettable flags. When you get on a roll you just don’t want to get off it and I tried to keep it going as long as possible.

“I had a few poor shots and an unlucky break or two at the end but definitely had a few things go my way early in this round and it was just a ton of fun to be up there, to have a chance. Ludvig played awesome.”

World number one Scottie Scheffler briefly held a share of the lead when he covered the front nine in 31, but crucially bogeyed the 11th and eventually signed for a 66 to finish in a tie for third with Rodgers on nine under.

England’s Tommy Fleetwood was part of a four-way tie for fifth on eight under following a closing 68, with Rory McIlroy five strokes further back after a frustrating 72.