Ludvig Aberg backs up the hype, finishes 2nd at the Masters in his first major

AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — Rory McIlroy has insisted for quite some time that Ludvig Aberg is poised to become a huge star in golf.

The world found out why on Sunday.

Aberg, a Swede who entered the Masters ranked ninth in the world at age 24 less than a year after turning pro, hung with No. 1 player in the world for the better part of 72 holes before Scottie Scheffler pulled away on the back nine to secure his second green jacket with a four-shot victory.

Aberg finished second at 7-under 281 despite never having played a competitive round on the slick Augusta National greens — or in any major championship — before Thursday.

“Everyone in my position, they are going to want to be major champions,” Aberg said. “They are going to want to be world No. 1's. And it’s the same for me, that’s nothing different. I think this week solidifies a lot of those things are there, and we just need to keep doing those things and put ourselves in positions to win tournaments.”

If casual fans didn't know Aberg before Sunday, they do now.

He has an infectious smile and nothing seemed to bother him all week as he navigated an unfamiliar course. Even when a fan accidently knocked a protein bar out of his hand when he first-bumped him while making the turn at 10, Aberg just kept on smiling.

Golf stresses him out, so he counters it with positivity.

Like when Aberg, in a four-way tie for the lead, sent his approach shot on the par-4 11th into the water on the left side of the green, leading to a double bogey.

That might have crushed some players.

But he quickly put it behind him, battling back to make birdie on 13 and 14 to briefly pull back within two shots of Scheffler. But Scheffler made another birdie and hit too many good shots down the stretch for Aberg to have any hope of a comeback.

Aberg said he isn't going to beat himself up over the iron shot at 11, one that he said he simply started too far to the left, caught the wind and carried into the pond.

“Obviously it wasn’t ideal, but I felt like me and my team, we’ve focused a lot on just keep playing no matter what happens,” Aberg said. “If you just keep playing, skills are going to show up. I think once you stop playing, that’s when the skills are not showing up.”

As Aberg pointed out, it was one of the few bad shots he hit all week.

After opening with a 73 on Thursday, he played the final three rounds in 8 under. He hit 79% of his fairways and 61% of greens in regulation.

“This being my first major championship, you never really know what it’s going to be like until you’re there and experience it,” Aberg said. “I think this week has given me a lot of experiences and a lot of lessons learned in terms of those things. It makes me really hungry, and it makes me want to do it again and again.”

It wasn't until after the round, when Aberg saw his family and his girlfriend, that he let his emotions out.

“When you're playing Augusta, you can’t really put your guard down,” Aberg said. “You have to stay focused all the time. I think once you hole out your last putt on 18 you can kind of breathe a little bit and that’s what I did.”

As for McIlroy's repeated praise, Aberg is trying to take in stride.

“Well, it’s very flattering,” Aberg said. “To me, it just tells me that we are doing some good things, me and my team, and we’re probably not going to change a whole lot. But obviously hearing those things from Rory and those guys is very, very encouraging.”

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

Ludvig Aberg, of Sweden, walks to the green on the 13th hole during final round at the Masters golf tournament at Augusta National Golf Club Sunday, April 14, 2024, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Ludvig Aberg, of Sweden, hits from the bunker on the 18th hole during final round at the Masters golf tournament at Augusta National Golf Club Sunday, April 14, 2024, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Ludvig Aberg, of Sweden, waves after making a putt on the 11th hole during final round at the Masters golf tournament at Augusta National Golf Club Sunday, April 14, 2024, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Ludvig Aberg, of Sweden, celebrates after a birdie on the ninth hole during final round at the Masters golf tournament at Augusta National Golf Club Sunday, April 14, 2024, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Ludvig Aberg, of Sweden, walks to the green on the 15th hole during final round at the Masters golf tournament at Augusta National Golf Club Sunday, April 14, 2024, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Ludvig Aberg, of Sweden, reacts after missing a putt on the 15th hole during final round at the Masters golf tournament at Augusta National Golf Club Sunday, April 14, 2024, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Ludvig Aberg, of Sweden, waves after making a putt on the 15th hole during final round at the Masters golf tournament at Augusta National Golf Club Sunday, April 14, 2024, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Ludvig Aberg, of Sweden, hits from the bunker on the 18th hole during the final round at the Masters golf tournament at Augusta National Golf Club Sunday, April 14, 2024, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Ludvig Aberg, of Sweden, waits to putt on the 18th hole during final round at the Masters golf tournament at Augusta National Golf Club Sunday, April 14, 2024, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Ludvig Aberg, of Sweden, waves after his final round at the Masters golf tournament at Augusta National Golf Club Sunday, April 14, 2024, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

STÄFA, Switzerland--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 16, 2024--

Phonak, a leading global provider of life-changing hearing solutions, is delighted to introduce legendary guitarist Paul Gilbert as its official Global Brand Ambassador. In this capacity, Gilbert will focus on raising public awareness about hearing health, challenging the stigma associated with hearing loss, and emphasizing the significance of hearing devices. He will actively engage in communication activities across press and social media platforms to champion these causes. Additionally, Gilbert will inspire various initiatives, showcasing Phonak's dedication to developing holistic hearing solutions that empower people to create meaningful social interactions.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240515407203/en/

“We are thrilled to welcome Paul as Phonak’s newest Global Brand Ambassador,” said Oliver Frank, Vice President of Phonak Marketing. “His extraordinary ability to connect with fans worldwide through music makes him a compelling advocate for the importance of hearing health. Paul's personal experience with hearing loss and his journey with hearing solutions add depth and authenticity to his advocacy. We’re convinced that Paul's credibility and engaging presence will draw people's attention to this critical issue. We’re excited to partner with Paul as we continue our mission to create a world where life is on for everyone.”

A prolific American heavy metal and hard rock guitarist, and highly regarded as one of the best musicians of all time, Paul Gilbert is widely known as the co-founder of Mr. Big with its chart-topping, worldwide No. 1 hit single, “To Be With You”, and as a member of Los Angeles-based band, Racer X. A music career spanning four decades, Gilbert has been open about his hearing loss due to years of loud noise exposure from guitar amplifiers. In addition to spreading awareness of hearing loss, Gilbert hopes his collaboration with Phonak will shine a light on the importance of wearing hearing devices and normalizing the use of hearing technology that helps better communication and understanding.

"Everyone with hearing loss has a unique story. I'm happy to share my story, including how my Phonak hearing aids have helped me since I began wearing them over 10 years ago,” said Gilbert. “My hearing aids are vital to staying connected in my family life. Also, since I perform and teach music, I can set my guitar amp at a lower volume, without having to crank up to hear every detail. I was inspired to try hearing aids from the passionate advice of a friend who also wore Phonak hearing aids. He said it’ll change my life and he was right!"

Last summer, Mr. Big kicked off a worldwide tour, titled "The BIG Finish". Currently, they’re on the American leg of the tour before a final tour in Europe this summer.

To discover more about Phonak visit Phonak.com or follow Phonak on Instagram @phonak.

To discover more about Paul Gilbert, follow him on Instagram @paulgilbert_official.

About Phonak

life is on. Since 1947, Phonak has been dedicated to improving the quality of life for people with hearing loss. Seventy-five years later, our passion for creating life-changing hearing solutions that help people thrive physically, socially, and emotionally remains. By offering the industry’s broadest portfolio of hearing solutions, we’re committed to creating a world where “life is on” for everyone.

At Phonak, innovation is not limited to products. We work to change the conversations surrounding people with hearing loss. We do this by fighting the stigma of hearing aids and creating an understanding of how hearing is connected to the broader context of healthy living.

Legendary guitarist Paul Gilbert is a Phonak Ambassador (Photo: Business Wire)