Ludvig Aberg doubles down on tagging Pinehurst a tough test, says it remains the most difficult course he’s played

36-hole leader Ludvig Aberg said that Pinehurst was the most difficult course he had ever played. He added that he was anticipating the US Open to be tricky and challenging, so it was nothing different from his expectations.

On Friday, June 14, Aberg surged to the top of the leaderboard after shooting a 1-under 69. He picked up three birdies and made two bogeys on the second day at Pinehurst No. 2, bringing his total to 5-under.

During the post-round interview, Aberg reflected on his experience at Pinehurst, stating it was the most difficult course he had played so far in his career. For the uninitiated, this was his second time at Pinehurst, having competed there during the 2019 US Amateur Open.

"I think just with the way those greens are, when it gets really firm, and just because you don't really have any bail-out areas, you've just got to take on the golf shots and see where it ends up, and if you don't pull it off, you're going to have a really tricky short game shot," he explained.

He added that, though it was a difficult golf course, it was supposed to be this way.

Reflecting on his round, Ludvig Aberg said that he hit it very well considering the difficult course conditions.

"I felt like we stayed very disciplined, stayed very patient, and tried to hit it to our targets all the time and see how many good shots we can hit today and see where that ends up at the end," he said.

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When will Ludvig Aberg tee off at the US Open on Saturday?

Ludvig Aberg is paired with Bryson DeChambeau for the third round of the US Open. They will be the last pair to begin their round, teeing off on Saturday, June 15, at 3:35 pm ET from the first hole of Pinehurst No. 2.

On Friday, Ludvig Aberg became the first player since 1985 to hold a 36-hole lead in his debut US Open. He has a solid chance to become the first player since 1913 to win the event on his debut. So far, only five players have achieved this, with none in the last 111 years.

Aberg has been on a roll since turning pro last year after topping the PGA Tour University rankings. Since June 2023, he has won titles on both the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour. He was also part of the winning European Ryder Cup squad. This year, he has achieved two runner-up finishes, including one at the Masters Tournament.