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 his Ryder Cup teammate Viktor Hovland and American golfer Harris English. Following a tumultuous week at The Masters, Robert MacIntyre made a strong start with a five-under score, positioning himself among a group of players three shots behind Åberg. Åberg reflected on his performance, highlighting the quality of his iron play and approach shots as key factors in his success.
He expressed overall satisfaction with his day, noting the importance of being bogey-free and making eight birdies. Meanwhile, MacIntyre, who faced controversy at The Masters, including missing the cut and making a gesture that has sparked speculation about potential punishment, aimed to put the past behind him. World No.
1 Scottie Scheffler recovered from a challenging start to shoot three under, seeking to bounce back from his second-place finish at The Masters. Other notable performances included Ireland's Shane Lowry finishing one under and England's Tommy Fleetwood struggling at five over. MacIntyre discussed the challenge of managing his emotions, acknowledging that while he wears his heart on his sleeve, he is working to control them and is focused on performing to the best of his ability.