SAN DIEGO, Calif. — On a sunlit Sunday at Torrey Pines, Ludvig Aberg turned personal adversity into professional triumph, capturing the 2025 Genesis Invitational with a dramatic final-round surge that showcased his resilience and skill.
The 25-year-old Swede, who had endured a nightmare at this same venue just three weeks prior, birdied four of his last six holes, including a clutch 7-footer on the par-5 18th, to finish at 12-under 276, edging out Maverick McNealy by one stroke and securing the biggest win of his young career.
Aberg’s journey to the Genesis title was anything but straightforward. Three weeks earlier, during the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines, he held the 36-hole lead before a violent stomach illness derailed his tournament. Barely able to stand, he staggered to a third-round 74 and a final-round 79, plummeting to a T-42 finish and losing nearly 10 pounds in the ordeal.
The setback forced him to withdraw from the following week’s AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, leaving him questioning his physical limits.
“I never felt worse leaving a golf course,” Aberg said after his win, reflecting on that earlier collapse. “That’s what made today feel so sweet.”
The Genesis Invitational, relocated from its traditional home at Riviera Country Club due to wildfires in Los Angeles, offered Åberg an unexpected shot at redemption. He embraced the opportunity, arriving at Torrey Pines with a renewed sense of purpose.
“I love this place,” he said. “It’s one of the best golf courses we play.”
His affection for the South Course was evident throughout the week, even as he navigated a rollercoaster tournament.
After an opening-round 74 in wet, challenging conditions, Aberg rebounded with a 66 on Friday and a third-round 70, highlighted by his first career hole-in-one on the par-3 3rd hole.
Entering Sunday’s finale two strokes behind overnight leader Patrick Rodgers, Aberg started strong with back-to-back birdies on Nos. 2 and 3. But bogeys on the 4th and 5th threatened to derail his momentum, leaving him three shots back as McNealy, five strokes off the pace at the start, ignited the leaderboard with nine birdies in his first 13 holes to reach 11 under.
Undeterred, Aberg stayed composed. A critical 6-foot par save on the 12th kept his hopes alive, and then the magic began. On the par-5 13th, he two-putted from 50 feet for birdie. At the daunting 14th, he stuck an approach to 5 feet and converted. Then, on the 15th, a 25-foot birdie putt rolled in, tying him with McNealy.
“I saw what he was doing,” Aberg said of McNealy’s charge. “That par on 12 was huge—if I hadn’t made that, I don’t think I’d have won.”
The stage was set for the par-5 18th. McNealy, already in the clubhouse after a brilliant 8-under 64, watched as Aberg split the fairway with a towering drive. From there, he launched a 7-wood that carried long, leaving a 70-foot putt. His lag rolled to just under 7 feet, and with the tournament on the line, Aberg calmly drained the birdie to secure the victory.
“This Sunday is a lot more fun than the last one we had,” he quipped to caddie Joe Skovron late in the round, a nod to his earlier struggles.
The win, Aberg’s third on the PGA Tour and fourth worldwide since turning pro in June 2023, netted him $4 million and vaulted him to No. 4 in the world rankings and No. 1 in the FedExCup standings. It also marked a triumphant return from knee surgery in September 2024, signaling his readiness to compete at golf’s highest level.
“It’s hard winning out here,” Aberg said. “To execute the shots and make the putts down the stretch—it’s reassuring after where I was a few weeks ago.”
McNealy, gracious in defeat, praised Aberg’s performance. “Ludvig played awesome,” said the Stanford alum, who earned $2.2 million for his runner-up finish. “It was more than I could’ve asked for starting the day.”
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, rebounding from a Saturday 76 with a Sunday 66, tied for third on 9 under with Rodgers, whose final-round 71 left him winless in nearly 300 PGA Tour starts.
The victory held extra significance as Aberg received the trophy from tournament host Tiger Woods, who withdrew earlier in the week following the passing of his mother, Kultida. Players honored her memory with red pins bearing the Thai symbol for love.
“To win Tiger’s event means a lot,” Aberg said. “He’s done so much for our game.”
For Aberg, the Genesis Invitational wasn’t just a win, it was a statement.
Highlights from Ludvig Åberg's big-time performance ????????
His win at The Genesis Invitational vaults him to No. 1 in the #FedExCup standings. pic.twitter.com/fdLfcoTWyn
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 17, 2025
Grok 3.0 assisted with report.
