Åberg Takes the Lead at RBC Heritage as MacIntyre Bounces Back

Sweden's Ludvig Åberg has taken the lead after the first round of the RBC Heritage, carding an impressive eight-under 63 to establish a one-shot advantage over Ryder Cup teammate Viktor Hovland and American Harris English. Åberg's strong start came as the PGA Tour resumed just days after Rory McIlroy's victory at Augusta National. With a bogey-free round and eight birdies, Åberg expressed his satisfaction, highlighting his iron play and approach shots as the key to his success. Meanwhile, Robert MacIntyre made a strong recovery from his tumultuous week at The Masters, where he missed the cut and sparked controversy with an obscene gesture. MacIntyre shot five under on Thursday, placing him among a group of five players three shots behind Åberg. World No 1 Scottie Scheffler also showed resilience, recovering from an out-of-bounds shot to card three under as he seeks to bounce back from his second-place finish at The Masters. Other notable performers included England's Matt Fitzpatrick, who is two shots off the lead on six under, and Ireland's Shane Lowry, who finished one under as he looks to regain his form after a disappointing final round at The Masters.