Ludvig Åberg Takes Lead at RBC Heritage as Robert MacIntyre Bounces Back

Sweden's Ludvig Åberg stormed to the top of the leaderboard with a stunning eight-under 63 in the opening round of the RBC Heritage, while Robert MacIntyre made a strong start following a dramatic Masters tournament. Just days after Rory McIlroy's victory at Augusta National, Åberg produced a bogey-free round to take a one-shot lead over Ryder Cup teammate Viktor Hovland and American Harris English at Harbour Town Golf Links in South Carolina. England's Matt Fitzpatrick is among a group of six players two shots off the lead on six under, in a strong field that doesn't include McIlroy. Åberg reflected on his round, saying: "It was a great day in terms of scoring. When you're bogey-free and make eight birdies, it's always a good day. "The highlight for me was definitely my iron play and approach shots. I felt like I was hitting the right flights and being on the correct side of the flags. A few putts dropped on the back nine that didn't on the front, so overall, I'm really pleased with today." MacIntyre had a tough week at the Masters, missing the cut after an opening-round 80 and then making an obscene gesture at one of the greens during his second round. He later poked fun at the incident on social media, which may lead to speculation about potential punishment. However, the 29-year-old put that behind him to shoot five under on Thursday, joining a group of five players three shots back from Åberg. World No 1 Scottie Scheffler recovered from a wayward first shot to shoot three under as he looks to bounce back from finishing second to McIlroy at the Masters. Ireland's Shane Lowry finished one under as he sought to recover from a disappointing final round at the Masters, while England's Tommy Fleetwood is in danger of missing the cut after finishing five over. American Justin Thomas also struggled to a 76. MacIntyre spoke to Sky Sports Golf about controlling his emotions, saying: "Coming off last week, I was comfortable with the golf course and my game. I'm driving it well off the tee, being aggressive, and giving myself a lot of wedges. I didn't take many chances in the middle part of the round, but five under is a good start. "I know I didn't handle things perfectly, but I wear my heart on my sleeve. I'm trying to control my emotions and work with someone to improve. I've got my family and friends who keep me grounded, and if I've done something wrong, they tell me. "That's how I approach life and golf. I do what I want, and if people like it or not, I just try to perform the best I can." The RBC Heritage continues on Sky Sports Golf, with coverage starting at 12pm each day. Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract to catch all the action.