Alan Shipnuck raises concern as PGA Tour pro gets paired with ‘slow’ Bryson DeChambeau at The Open

Alan Shipnuck has voiced concern over the pairing of PGA Tour pro Ludvig Aberg with Bryson DeChambeau and Tom Kim at The Open Championship 2024. The fourth and final Major of the year is being played at Royal Troon Golf Club in Scotland.

On The Rich Eish Show, Golf writer Alan Shipnuck was asked by host Rich Eisen if the pairing of Ludvig Aberg with slow players like DeChambeau and Kim will be a disadvantage for the PGA Tour pro. Shipnuck had a mixed response:

"Yes and no. The Open is always slow because playing in threesomes, and (with) a lot of guys backing off shots trying to read the wind, you hit it into the heather. It can be a long look for your golf ball. Guys have misadventures in the pot bunkers. It's just never fast over there, which is ironic," he said. [at 06:24]

Shipnuck said it's ironic because when players take to golf as a recreational sport, the members of the club pressure them to finish in less than three hours and 45 minutes. He acknowledged the disadvantage to Ludvig Aberg and said:

"Unfortunately the fast players usually have to bend to the will of the slow players, it's rarely the other way around which is unfortunate and it's a competitive disadvantage for a guy like Ludvig."

However, Shipnuck said that slow play is a part of the mental battle in Majors which includes other factors like media tension, larger crowds and tough course conditions. He gave an example of the US Open where the rounds are even as slow as five and a half hours as players shoot 85. He stated that Ludvig being a PGA Tour player would have to adapt to the slow play and said:

"So unfortunately he's gonna have to learn to walk a little slower and take a few more deep breaths and try and that's just one more thing you have to overcome."

In the first round, Ludvig Aberg carded 4-over 75 and is positioned 76th. He scored two birdies and six bogeys. DeChambeau and Kim carded 5-over 76 and are tied at 95th.

In the second round of the Open Championship 2024, Ludvig Aberg will tee off at 9:48 a.m. ET with DeChambeau and Kim.

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A look at PGA Tour pro Ludvig Aberg's performance in 2024

PGA Tour player Ludvig Aberg has had a great 2024 season. Aberg has had seven top-10 and 11 top-25 finishes this year. The World No. 4's best performances include being the runner up at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and at the Masters.

Aberg's other notable performances include T4 at the Genesis Scottish Open and T5 at the Memorial Tournament. Here's a look at the PGA Tour pro's performance in 2024:

• The Sentry: T47 (69-70-77-63, 279, -13)
• Sony Open in Hawaii: T30 (70-65-70-66, 271, -9)
• Farmers Insurance Open: T9 (68-72-69-70, 279, -9)
• AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am: 2 (68-65-67, 200, -16)
• The Genesis Invitational: T19 (68-72-70-68, 278, -6)
• Arnold Palmer Invitational pres. by Mastercard: T25 (73-74-69-72, 288, E)
• THE PLAYERS Championship: 8 (67-73-67-67, 274, -14)
• Valero Texas Open: T14 (72-71-67-73, 283, -5)
• Masters Tournament: 2 (73-69-70-69, 281, -7)
• RBC Heritage: T10 (66-66-68-72, 272, -12)
• PGA Championship: Missed Cut (72-70, 142, E)
• the Memorial Tournament pres. by Workday: T5 (68-72-72-74, 286, -2)
• U.S. Open: T12 (66-69-73-73, 281, +1)
• Travelers Championship: T27 (67-69-62-71, 269, -11)
• Genesis Scottish Open: T4 (64-64-65-73, 266, -14)