It’s not a disaster. There’s no need to panic. There’s no fire, but perhaps there is a small smoke cloud around Ludvig Aberg. Twelve months ago, he achieved his best professional victory at Riviera and reached fourth in the world ranking, equalling the best position of his career. This Monday, at 26 years old, he found himself in 23rd place, his lowest ranking since early 2024 when he was still a rookie professional.
The Swede was, during his first stint as a pro, a kind of modern metronome: he hit long, he hit straight, he didn’t complicate things with the putter, and above all, he seemed immune to the ups and downs that usually accompany rookies. Don’t forget that Luke Donald didn’t hesitate to take him to the Ryder just a few months after turning professional. Also, remember that in his debut at the Masters, he didn’t just make the cut; he reached the lead on Sunday at Augusta, which would have been an unthinkable feat for a debutant.
As mentioned, the turning point—or at least the moment from which the narrative changes—is quite pinpointed: twelve months ago, when he won the Genesis Invitational (his second victory on the PGA Tour) and matched his best world ranking. Since then, his performance hasn’t plummeted, but it has become less reliable.
If we stick to his usual circuit, the PGA Tour, the number that stands out the most is the cuts. Since his last victory, he has missed six cuts in 20 tournaments. Translated: 30% (6/20), which for many players is within the acceptable range in a long season, but for the Swede, it sounds odd because he came from a very high standard.
Until his victory at Riviera, since turning professional, he had missed three cuts in 36 tournaments. That is: a very low rate of 8∞, unusual for someone who was learning the trade. Moreover, it wasn’t just about not missing cuts; it was about frequently appearing at the top, not quite Scheffler-like, but still very, very high.
- Before winning the Genesis:
- Three missed cuts in 36 tournaments (8%)
- 16 top 10 in 36 tournaments (≈ 44%)
- 24 top 25 in 36 tournaments (≈ 67%)
In this last stretch of 12 months, things have normalised… but for him, it’s a significant drop:
- Since the last victory:
- Six missed cuts in 20 events (30%)
- 4 top 10 in 20 (20%)
- 10 top 25 in 20 (50%)
In other words, in one year, he has missed twice as many cuts as in the previous two years combined. It’s not a catastrophe, but it is a signal. The question is whether this is simply the natural curve of a young player—a dip in form, a heavy schedule, a couple of bad weeks skewing percentages—or if there’s an underlying factor.
This past year has also had more than positive highlights. There’s the example of Bethpage: on Sunday, he moved like a fish in water to deliver a decisive point, and also his third place in the Dubai Final. More than notable results.
In this whole equation of ups and downs, there’s an element that doesn’t seem minor: his intestinal problems. He’s been dealing with stomach issues for thirteen months, which didn’t stop him from winning the Genesis, but it’s unclear if they’ve found a solution, and he has mentioned on several occasions that it’s something they’re closely monitoring. The diagnosis doesn’t seem to be straightforward. Ludvig acknowledged a few days ago that he was much better, but he didn’t provide more details about the origin or whether the problem is resolved.
It will probably all come down to a dip. Not serious, but significant because he was coming from a very premium version of himself. Let’s say he’s gone from being almost infallible to being “human”. Perhaps, in his case, what is most missed is not a specific result, but that sense of composure. Words can be tricky, and it’s likely that his best version will be seen very soon. The reality is that with Aberg, you always have the very real feeling that when he’s on—hitting the fairway with the driver and a decently performing putter—he can win any week.
