LUDVIG ABERG produced a sensational performance to take the halfway lead at the The Players Championship in Florida.
The Swedish golfer fired a superb nine-under-par 63 during the second round at TPC Sawgrass. His score pushed him to 12 under par, two shots ahead of the field.
Åberg impressed with two remarkable chip-in eagles during the round. He took advantage of calm conditions to climb to the top of the leaderboard.
Schauffele Close Behind
Xander Schauffele sits in second place at 10 under after an excellent 65. The American displayed strong ball-striking and hit every fairway during his round.
Cameron Young follows at nine under after a solid 67.
Meanwhile, Justin Thomas and Corey Conners share fourth place at eight under par.
McIlroy and Scheffler Face Difficult Day
Two of the tournament favourites struggled during the second round.
Rory McIlroy finished with a 71 and sits at one over par. The defending champion birdied his final hole to ensure he remained inside the cut line.
McIlroy admitted he felt rusty after limited preparation due to a recent back injury. He said his ball-striking improved in the second round but missed several birdie opportunities.
Scottie Scheffler also faced difficulties. The world number one shot a 73 to remain at one over par.
Scheffler struggled with accuracy and often found himself hitting from thick rough. Despite a frustrating round, he birdied the final hole to secure his place for the weekend.
Strong Showing from European Players
Tommy Fleetwood and Matt Fitzpatrick lead the challenge from England at five under par.
Fleetwood produced a steady round that included an eagle on the 16th hole. Fitzpatrick carded a 69 but looked disappointed after missing a short putt on his final hole.
Justin Rose moved to four under after shooting a 68.
Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre ended the round at level par with a 72.
Åberg Delivers Brilliant Front Nine
Åberg made an explosive start to his round. He recorded an eagle and three birdies in his first four holes.
Another chip-in eagle on the ninth helped him complete the front nine in just 29 shots.
Although he dropped a shot on the 15th hole, he quickly recovered with birdies on the 16th and 18th to finish his impressive round.
The 26-year-old golfer said his experience playing the course helped him stay comfortable throughout the round.
Cut Line Brings Mixed Results
Several players missed the cut as the line settled at two over par.
Shane Lowry and English players Harry Hall, Aaron Rai, Marco Penge and Jordan Smith failed to qualify for the weekend rounds.
One of the toughest moments came for Tom Hoge. The American endured a nightmare hole on the seventh.
He hit his tee shot into the water and struggled with several poor shots. The hole ended with a quintuple-bogey nine.
As the tournament heads into the weekend, Åberg holds the advantage. However, several top players remain within striking distance at one of golf’s most demanding venues.
