Ludvig shines on ✨

Hey there! And, happy weekend. Before we dive in, a quick correction from Wednesday’s newsletter when I said that winning the same PGA Tour event three years in-a-row has only happened six times.

Instead, only six different players have accomplished the feat. One of those players, Tiger Woods, has pulled off the three-peat six times himself. 😅

It’s a good reminder to double check my stats. And when Tiger is involved, triple check!

Onto the news…

Ludvig continues his impressive run

After winning in Switzerland earlier this month and securing his spot on the European Ryder Cup team, Swedish sensation Ludvig Aberg is tied atop the leaderboard at this week’s BMW PGA Championship in England.

• The 23-year-old Aberg fired a 6-under 66 on Friday, finishing his round with three birdies in-a-row.

• He’s tied for the lead at -10 with fellow Swede Sebastian Soderberg.

Aberg, who turned pro in June, outshined his playing partners Viktor Hovland (-5, T25) and Rory McIlroy (-1, T61).

Of note: All 12 members of the European Ryder Cup team are playing this week at the BMW — one of the premier events on the DP World Tour.

• AND, it looks like all 12 will make the projected cut at -1 (play was suspended Friday before the entire field finished).

Here’s where Team Europe stands:

Quick thoughts: The fact that everyone on Team Europe is playing a competitive tournament this close to the Ryder Cup could be an advantage over the Americans, who only have two players (Justin Thomas and Max Homa) playing in Napa. If the Europeans look good right out of the gate in Rome, it could be because they kept their games pressure tested closer to the event.

The intrigue: Perhaps the first person left off the European Team was Poland’s Adrian Meronk, who’s currently tied for 3rd at -9.

• If he pulls off the win this weekend, it would be a nice “I told you so” moment for Meronk and his supporters.

📺 How to watch:

• Saturday: 7am-1pm ET on Golf Channel and Peacock

• Sunday: 7am-12:30pm ET Golf Channel and Peacock

Notes from Napa

Sahith Theegala — still in search of his first PGA Tour victory — shot an 8-under 64 on Friday to move into the lead at -12 alongside S.H. Kim.

• Catch up quick: After an impressive rookie campaign last season, Theegala finished 31st in FedEx Cup points this year — barely missing out on the Tour Championship.

• The California native could turn a somewhat disappointing sophomore season around with a win on Sunday.

Justin Thomas silenced his critics — for now — after posting solid, opening rounds of 69-67. Heading into Saturday, Thomas is T4 and four shots behind the leaders.

• The bottom line: JT avoided catastrophe (like a missed cut) in Napa. Now, he’s in a good position to win or, at least carry some positive momentum into the Ryder Cup.

Max Homa said he “didn’t feel super” after his opening round 70. But after a 66 on Friday, he’s tied with Thomas at -8 and within striking distance of completing the Fortinet three-peat.

Other notables towards the top of the leaderboard:

• Eric Cole -10 (4th)

• Cam Davis -8 (T6)

• Matt Kucher -7 (T11)

📺 How to watch:

• Saturday and Sunday: 6-9pm ET on Golf Channel 

• Streaming also available for earlier coverage on ESPN+ and Peacock

What else I’m reading

• 👀 Dustin Johnson said he hasn’t had the greatest year, but believes he still would have made the Ryder Cup team if he played on the PGA Tour. (Palm Beach Post)

• 🎥 Film crews for the Netflix series Full Swing will be in Rome, but US Ryder Cup captain Zach Johnson said he’s not letting them inside their team room. (NBC)

• 🗺️ The DP World Tour (fka the European Tour) gets more attention in the US around this time of the year when many of golf’s biggest names headline their events.

  • But, as Golf Magazine’s Dylan Dethier reminded us this week, the DP World Tour’s recently released calendar for next season includes year-round tournaments across Asia, Africa, the UAE, and more. (Golf)

More good content

• 🎧 Anytime Rory talks for over an hour, it’s worth a listen. Particularly interesting was his comment about JT and the Ryder Cup. (Subpar)

• 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Never have I seen a 12-hole golf course. And never have I seen so many blind tee shots. But now, all I want to do is visit Scotland and play Shiskine after watching this new video from No Laying Up. (NLU)

And finally…

Some more Ludvig love to-go.

That’s all for today! Hopefully, you liked our new logo at the top. A friend recently helped me with some designs, which I’m super excited about. More to come!

Thanks so much for reading, and we’ll see you back here Sunday night. Until then, enjoy your coffee and primetime golf! - Nick B.