Sweden's Ludvig Åberg has taken the lead after the first round of the RBC Heritage, carding an impressive eight-under 63. This puts him one shot ahead of Ryder Cup teammate Viktor Hovland and American Harris English. The strong field at Harbour Town Golf Links in South Carolina saw Robert MacIntyre make a solid start, shooting five under, just days after his tumultuous outing at The Masters.
Åberg expressed his satisfaction with his performance, highlighting his iron play and approach shots as key factors in his success. 'It was a really good day in terms of scoring.
Being bogey-free and making eight birdies is always positive,' Åberg said. MacIntyre, who faced controversy at Augusta National, including missing the cut and making a gesture that could potentially lead to disciplinary action, seemed to put his difficulties behind him. He spoke about the challenge of managing his emotions and focusing on his game. World No 1 Scottie Scheffler recovered from a rough start to shoot three under, aiming to rebound from his second-place finish at The Masters.
Other notable players, such as Ireland's Shane Lowry and England's Tommy Fleetwood, had mixed results, with Fleetwood in danger of missing the cut.