Sweden's Ludvig Aberg celebrates Torrey Pines return with Genesis Invitational victory

Kirk Kenney, The San Diego Union-Tribune on Feb 16, 2025

Published in Golf

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SAN DIEGO — Sweden’s Ludvig Aberg turned to caddie Joe Skovron late in Sunday’s final round of the Genesis Invitational and mentioned how much more enjoyable it was this time at Torrey Pines than when they were here three weeks ago for the Farmers Insurance Open.

Aberg suffered with sickness the final two rounds of the Farmers. He was visibly ill on the course, but somehow summoned the strength to finish the tournament before spending most of the next week in bed while missing the AT&T Pebble Beach.

This time at Torrey?

Aberg birdied four of his last six holes in the final round of the Genesis, making a putt just inside 7 feet on the final hole to provide a one-stroke victory over Maverick McNealy in the $20 million signature event.

After what he had been through in recent weeks, Aberg said it was important to enjoy himself — and the moment — down the stretch.

“Coming down the last couple holes is the most fun you’ll ever have,” he said. “That was the case today, and I think I used that to my advantage. … This is the best feeling in golf and to be able to do what I did today is definitely going to help me going forward in the future.”

The 6-under 66 gave Aberg a 12-under 276 total for the tournament relocated from Pacific Palisades’ Riviera County Club to Torrey Pines following last month’s devastating Los Angeles widlfires.

While the duel came down to Aberg and McNealy, world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler tried to make it interesting.

He shrugged off Saturday’s 76 and was 10 strokes better Sunday, shooting himself back into contention with a 66 that included eight birdies.

Scheffler just missed an eagle at 18, settling for a final birdie that enabled him to finish tied for third at 9 under with Patrick Rodgers.

Rodgers, the third-round leader and another Stanford alum, was unable to join the birdiefest. He managed to get to 10 under with a pair of birdies on the front before giving it back with a pair of bogeys on the back. A birdie at 18 gave Rodgers a 71 for the day.

The only others to finish within five shots of the winner were Patrick Cantlay (68), Tommy Fleetwood (68), Tony Finau (68) and Denny McCarthy (71), who all tied for fifth at 8 under. Rory McIlroy, Sheffler’s playing partner in the final round, couldn’t get anything going and shot an even-par 72 to finish tied for 17th.

Aberg, 25, won his third PGA Tour title. The victory earned him $4 million for the week’s work as well as a handshake and a hug from tournament host Tiger Woods. The Swede’s victory spoiled a Stanford reunion for Woods with McNealy, who donned the Cardinal colors two decades after Tiger.

McNealy, who began the day five shots off the lead, carded the low round of the day (and the tournament) with an 8-under 64.

The scored tied the lowest final-round score at Torrey Pines, matching the 64s shot by Scott Simpson (1998) and Davis Love III (1996) when each won the then-Buick Invitational. McNealy challenged the Torrey Pines course record 62 shot by Woods in 1999 (two years before the South redesign) by making the turn with a 6-under 30.

The stretch included five straight birdies from the second through sixth holes. There was another birdie at the ninth. And the 10th. And 11th. And 13th.

McNealy found himself at 8 under and leading the tournament by two strokes at minus-12 with five holes to play.

“You get on a roll, you know it’s going to come to an end at some point,” McNealy said, “but you just want to extend it as much as possible.”

The run finally ended with a bogey at the par-4 14th. And just like that, the magic was gone. McNealy was stuck at 11 under over his final four holes. His last chance for birdie was at 18, but a 15-foot birdie attempt missed the mark.

“I’m really proud of my effort, especially being outside the cutline through 27 holes (midway through Friday’s round),” said McNealy, 29, whose lone tour victory came in last year’s RSM Classic. “Had to play through that sideways rain in the back of the wave on Thursday and to give myself this opportunity, I’m really proud of that.”

Aberg, playing three groups behind McNealy, kept his eye on the scoreboard.

“I definitely saw what he was doing,” Aberg said. “I looked at all the leaderboards that I could. Obviously, I think he got to 12 (under) pretty early and I was sort of stuck at 7, 8, something like that.”

Aberg charged with three straight birdies at 13, 14 and 15 to draw even with McNealy at 11 under.

“All I tried to do once I saw that he posted 11 was just to get to 12,” Aberg said.

That, he did that with his final stroke of the tournament.

When the ball found the bottom of the cup at 18, Aberg clenched his fist, punched the air, hugged his caddie and smiled.

He even had his appetite back.

Asked where he planned to dine Sunday night for a celebratory meal, Aberg said, “I feel like this is my last day on the West Coast for quite some time, so I think In-N-Out would be appropriate.”