Ludvig Aberg ties 72-hole scoring record for first PGA Tour win - ESPN

ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. — Ludvig Åberg added to his astonishing second half of the year when he closed with a second straight 9-under 61 on Sunday to win the RSM Classic, his first PGA Tour title to go along with a European tour victory and a winning debut in the Ryder Cup.

And to think the 24-year-old Swede was still at Texas Tech six months ago.

«Beyond my dreams,» Aberg said. «It's been six months I'll never forget.»

Not only did he win the final event of the PGA Tour season, but he did it in record fashion. His final birdie allowed Aberg to tie the 72-hole scoring record on the PGA Tour, matching the 253 of Justin Thomas at the 2017 Sony Open.

His 61-61 finish set the tour record for lowest closing 36 holes, beating by 1 the mark shared by Matt Jones at Kapalua in 2022 and Patrick Rodgers at Sea Island in 2019.

«The sky's the limit,» said Mackenzie Hughes, who gave Aberg a spirited battle with a 63 and couldn't keep up. «He's got the whole package. Got a good demeanor, doesn't get too up or down. I'm sure we're going to see a lot of him for the next few years.»

Aberg seized control with three straight birdies, one of them when he fearlessly drove over the marsh on the 407-yard fifth hole to 30 feet, and then held off Hughes, a hard-luck victim. Hughes shot 60-63 on the weekend and finished 4 shots behind.

Even after making his only bogey of the week, on the 12th hole of the Seaside course at Sea Island, Aberg answered every challenge.

He was 2 shots ahead when Hughes hit a nifty pitch to tap-in range for birdie on the 15th. Aberg was in the middle of a deep bunker with a tight pin and splashed that out to 4 feet for a matching birdie.

He all but clinched it with a 25-foot birdie putt on the par-3 17th, and for good