GOLF: Ludvig Aberg sets pace at RBC Heritage with sterling 63

Ludvig Aberg of Sweden posted an 8-under-par 63 to take the first-round lead at the RBC Heritage on Thursday in Hilton Head Island, S.C.

At the post-Masters signature event at Harbour Town Golf Links, which features a $20 million purse and no 36-hole cut, Aberg is hunting for his first win since February 2025.

"To me, this week is more about sort of mentally being ready, mentally being charged coming off a couple of tough weeks," Aberg said. "But hopefully I'll be ready to go this weekend, as well."

Aberg made five of his eight birdies on the back nine and stayed bogey-free. He holed a 16-foot birdie putt at the par-3 17th to reach 8 under.

By day's end, he ranked fourth in the field in both strokes gained on approach and strokes gained putting.

"I felt like the highlight for me was definitely my irons and my approach play," Aberg said. "I felt like that was really positive. Felt like I was hitting the flights I was trying to do. I was on the correct side of the flags, those kind of things that I really like to see. Then a few putts went in on the back nine that I didn't really do on the front."

Aberg is up a shot on Harris English and Norway's Viktor Hovland, while a six-way tie at 6-under 65 includes Rickie Fowler, Gary Woodland, Andrew Novak, Michael Brennan, England's Matt Fitzpatrick and New Zealand's Ryan Fox.

English and Hovland also turned in bogey-free cards, with Hovland crediting his up-and-downs more so than any particular birdie.

"I hit some really nice chip shots today, especially on 10. It was a nice up-and-down there," Hovland said. "Making a par on 12, I hit it left, which is pretty dead; making an up-and-down there was pretty nice."

Brennan led the field with 16 of 18 greens in regulation and Novak holed more than 81 feet of putts. Novak lost to Justin Thomas in a playoff at this event last year.

Fowler, a longtime fan favorite, has won just once on tour this decade and not since July 2023. He's in position for a run after limiting himself to one bogey against seven birdies, including five in his first seven holes.

"I think it was probably more so between the ears," Fowler said. "Really didn't have great stuff the last few days and just put some time in to try and get into a better spot. Had a nice warm-up this morning. Really just tried to slow things down and get into a better rhythm, more consistent contact and flight."

The group at 5-under 66 featured Daniel Berger, Robert MacIntyre of Scotland, Sepp Straka of Austria and Sungjae Im and Si Woo Kim of South Korea.

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler shot a 3-under 68. Thomas struggled to a 5-over 76, tied for 80th out of 82 golfers with England's Tommy Fleetwood.

-Field Level Media/Reuters