🏆 Ludvig wins!

In pursuit of hitting my daily 10,000 steps, I threw in my AirPods, went for a stroll, and listened to the final round of the RSM Classic via PGA Tour Radio (which is free and super easy to stream). 

For me, radio coverage is nostalgic (I’m immediately transported to my childhood, listening to sports in the car with my dad). And, it’s often more enjoyable than the TV broadcast (especially for non-majors, when the Derek Jeter commercials just become too much). 

I don’t know the names of the play-by-play radio crew, but they are great. And on Sunday, they all kept coming back to the same point about eventual champ Ludvig Åberg: His game just looks dead simple. 

Perhaps it’s how quickly Åberg plays or that his preferred ball flight is straight. Maybe it’s his cool demeanor or, as PGA Tour writer Sean Martin put it, that his swing is so perfect, it’s basically what AI would generate if asked to render an ideal move. 

Of course, dead simple is one of the best compliments in golf. And, it can be dangerously effective — like this weekend when the 24-year-old rookie shot 61-61 (the lowest combined final two rounds ever) to capture his first PGA Tour victory. 

“I think the whole concept of winning a tournament, I just fell in love with it,” Åberg, who turned pro just this summer, said on Sunday. “I just absolutely love it… You know, you just want to do it again and again and again.”

Likely, he will. Since helping the Europeans win the Ryder Cup earlier this fall, the young Swede has finished T2, T13, T10, and 1st in his last four starts on the PGA Tour. And, right before Rome, he won on the DP World Tour. 

The win at the PGA Tour’s season finale gets Åberg into the first few Signature Events next year AND the Masters in April — which will be his first major. 

It also puts him in position to potentially snag Rookie of the Year honors from Eric Cole, whose seven top-10s this season (including two runner-ups) might not be enough to top Åberg’s victory this weekend.

More news

🏆 Nicolai Hojgaard — another young European fresh-off a successful Ryder Cup — took down a deep field this weekend in Dubai to win the DP World Tour Championship. (Golf) 

💔 At the season ending RSM Classic, Carl Yuan was the only player to fall out of the Top 125 in FedEx Cup points and lose his Tour Card (full exemption) for next year. 

• Veteran Ryan Moore finished T8 at Sea Island and was the only player to move into the Top 125 (from 128 to 118). 

• Meanwhile, Troy Merritt was the last man to secure his card, finishing #125. (PGA Tour) 

👀 NBC has parted ways with lead analyst Paul Azinger. 

• Azinger — who said he was surprised by the network’s decision not to renew his contract – was in the NBC booth for five years, replacing Johnny Miller in 2018. (AP)

• As Golf Digest’s Joell Beall put it: “Azinger wasn’t afraid to criticize anyone and everyone, an increasingly rare trait to see from the booth. However, his lack of preparation and homework became noticeable in recent years. It’s tough to see him go, but it’s the right decision.” 

• Interestingly, the news means Azinger’s last call for NBC was this year’s Ryder Cup, where he quickly dismissed a report about Patrick Cantlay wanting to be paid. 

🐅 Tiger Woods will play in the Hero World Challenge the week after Thanksgiving — his first competitive start since withdrawing from the Masters earlier this year due to an ankle injury. 

• The Hero World Challenge — which is a benefit for Tiger’s foundation — is on the PGA Tour’s calendar, but isn’t an official event and includes just 20 players. (CBS)

• Of note: Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele recently bowed out. 

Wild things

This is where the TGL virtual golf league is supposed to debut in about 50 days. 

One of Rory’s drives this week ended up on a lady’s lap. 

• Thankfully, the rules allowed for a free drop.

Dutch pro Joost Luiten threw his driver into a tree out of frustration on Sunday. It got stuck. 

• Then, he threw two more clubs to try and retrieve his driver. Both got stuck as well.

And finally…

Shoutout to freshman Charlie Woods who helped his high school golf team win their state championship. 

• Woods finished T-26 overall, shooting 78-76. 

Hopefully, we’ll see Charlie and his dad (Tiger) in December for the PNC Championship — a PGA Tour sponsored, parent-child tournament.

That’s all for today! Thanks so much for reading y’all and as a programming alert… since the regular season is now over and official tournaments don’t pick up again until January, newsletter sends won’t necessarily be on a strict schedule. Look out for the Quick Nine throughout the week AND watch for a slightly different format during the offseason! 

Have an awesome Thanksgiving! And for those who are curious, my official Sunday step count was 7,790 (baby naps are only so long AND I kinda wanted to watch Ludvig at the end). 

Always tomorrow! - Nick B. 👟