GOLF: Ludvig Aberg returns to Torrey Pines as most recent winner but not defending champ

Ludvig Aberg is back at Torrey Pines this week, carrying a mix of confidence and caution.

The Swedish golfer arrives ranked No. 19 in the World Golf Ranking and holds a unique distinction at Torrey Pines: he is the most recent winner on the course, even though he isn’t the defending champion of the Farmers Insurance Open. That honor belongs to Harris English, who returns after capturing the title here a year ago.

For Aberg, Torrey Pines also holds bittersweet memories. Last year, he led after the opening round but fell ill, causing his performance to drop over the final three days. Redemption followed quickly, as he returned three weeks later to claim victory at the relocated Genesis Invitational on the South Course—a one-time move prompted by California wildfires that forced the tournament away from Riviera.

“I was playing with Harris English last week, and we were both kind of saying that it’s— we’re both sort of defending champions next week, so it was a little weird,” Aberg said Wednesday ahead of his return to Torrey Pines.

Health remains part of the storyline. Aberg withdrew from last week’s American Express after two rounds due to illness but says he is ready to compete on a course that suits his game.

“I think if you look at the past winners here and guys who have had a lot of success on this golf course, you tend to see higher ball speed drivers, and you tend to see guys that have high ball flight with their irons,” Aberg said. “So do I feel like that fits my game? Probably. Did that have anything to do with me winning last year? Maybe, I don’t know, but you still have to hit the shots.”

Aberg will face a tough early test, too. He is grouped with Brooks Koepka for the first two rounds, starting Thursday on the South Course and moving to the North on Friday. The pairing is expected to draw attention, with Koepka returning to the PGA Tour after a stint with LIV Golf in 2022.

“When it was an option for me, I didn’t like it,” Aberg said of potentially joining LIV. “It wasn’t anything I wanted to be a part of, so naturally for me in my position, that wasn’t going to be the case. And yeah, absolutely, you know, guys are doing it—if you’re doing it the right way and want to come back, I have no problem.”

—Field Level Media/Reuters