– Almost as expected, Ludvig Aberg (-8) remained the leader of the RBC Heritage at the end of the first round. The Swede, who had teed off about four hours earlier than the final groups alongside the defending champion, Justin Thomas (+5), posted an unreachable 63 in the clubhouse, also because the wind was picking up gradually during the afternoon over the pretty course of the Harbour Town Golf Links (Hilton Head, South Carolina). By the way, it can now be said with almost total certainty that Thomas will not retain the title after carding a 76 and finishing thirteen shots off the lead…
– The world No. 1 and winner of this tournament in 2024, Scottie Scheffler (-3) was playing in one of the last groups alongside the 2023 champion, Matt Fitzpatrick (-6), and for now it is the Englishman who comes out on top, with the best score among those in the final third of the tee times. The lad from Sheffield has more than proven that he’s not easily impressed. And that he can look anyone in the eye, anywhere, even though he’s almost never wrapped in the glamour of others. Try this: ask yourself out loud, right now, what position Fitzpatrick currently holds in the world ranking (no peeking). He’s No. 7 in the world and you’re very likely to have failed and even taken him out of the top ten…
– The truth is that Fitzpatrick, who last week reached the whopping forty consecutive majors played (he has 43 in total), is a legitimate and well-deserved world top ten. And it’s always a breath of fresh air to watch him play. That naturalness. That speed. The skinny lad from Sheffield grew up (and broader) a long time ago, but we’ll still be surprised when he wins his second major, which, without doubt, given the circumstances, will happen sooner or later.
– Scheffler still has a few to win. But for now, in 2026, he’s finding it extremely difficult to start tournaments at the pace set by the best. The Texan began today with a bogey at the 1st after hitting the ball out of bounds from the tee. He then got the round over the line with plenty of craft, but the fact is he can’t find the key to those electric Thursdays. Today he again looked too erratic off the tee. Nothing dramatic, of course, but too many errors for what he’s used to. It’s not new. The driver has been giving him a lot of headaches this season.
– Nevertheless, Scottie got the job done. He was even close to sinking a superb chip at the 18th to have got a little nearer to Aberg and company, but he’ll have to come back again. Five shots back from the lead aren’t too much at this stage, but tomorrow he can’t give up any more ground.
– One final detail. Collin Morikawa (-4) insists he is at fifty percent of his capacity, due to the fear he feels on every swing since he withdrew from THE PLAYERS because of a back spasm. Let’s be unkind: if he finished the Masters inside the top ten and today he posted a more than decent 67, something doesn’t add up. Either the Californian isn’t very strict with his percentages, or he should seriously consider how to permanently incorporate into his game some particularities of this emergency swing…
