Ludvig Åberg battles back into the lead, 2nd PGA Tour victory now within reach

Åberg had to fight off PGA Tour players in Round 3, but by the end, he kept the lead as he is 18 holes away from second win.

Ludvig Åberg carded a 5-under 65 on Saturday at the Genesis Scottish Open to lead by two shots at 17-under. It was not his best golf, but the young Swede fought back down the stretch and knew he had to close well if he wanted to hold the solo lead.

Robert MacIntyre went low on Moving Day. He fired off a 7-under 63 to sit at 15-under. He had an incredible day and held the lead or co-lead throughout the third round.

The RBC Canadian Open winner is looking to become the second Scot ever to win the national open.

While MacIntyre played well, Åberg was able to bounce back and avoid any costly mistakes. He kept a clean card on the front with a birdie at one, three and six. The former Texas Tech Red Raider added another at the 10th before dropping back-to-back shots at 11 and 12.

“Not the most stress-free golf, but it was again a good score, but I’m pleased with the way I hung in there and finished it out,” Åberg said.

Those two hiccups did not phase him, as he made three birdies in his final six holes. The first came at 13, which helped put some momentum back into his pocket.

“I was just happy to have it on 13. I felt like I was swinging well and hitting the putts the way I wanted to, and I tried to read them,” he explained. “When a putt like that goes in on 13, it gives you a little bit of an extra boost.”

As he came down the stretch, Åberg knew exactly where he was on the leaderboard. He enjoys checking out where he is and believes it is important to know what he has to do to get the job done.

“It makes you hungry, and it makes you stay on the front foot and be aggressive and felt like I did that well today,” Åberg said.

There are just 18 holes left for the 24-year-old, who could win his second PGA Tour victory in less than a year. Åberg’s first Tour win came last November at the RSM Classic, where he set scoring records.

This lead is the second time he was the lone man on top of the leaderboard. The last time came at that RSM Classic win. Last year’s champion, Rory McIlroy, and the 2022 winner, Xander Schauffele, were also 54-hole leaders.

“It will be fun. Looks like I’m playing with Bob as well, so it will be a cool pairing,” Åberg said. “It’s fun to have an opportunity to win a golf tournament, especially at a classic place here in Scotland, and I'm looking forward to it.”

He and MacIntyre will tee off Sunday at 10:40 a.m. ET. Can the Swedish phenom hold off the pack and get that second PGA Tour victory, or will MacIntyre make history in his home country?

Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. For more golf coverage, follow us @_PlayingThrough on all major social platforms. You can also follow her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @golf_girl_sl.