On Thursday at the 2026 RBC Heritage, Ludvig Åberg showcased a remarkably calm performance, gliding effortlessly across Harbour Town Golf Links. The Swedish golf sensation achieved an opening score of 63, marking eight birdies and 10 pars, which placed him at 8 under par and secured a one-shot lead ahead of Viktor Hovland and Harris English.
Åberg reflected that from a scoring perspective, it had been a highly successful day, emphasizing that any round free of bogeys and featuring eight birdies constitutes a strong showing. He highlighted his iron play and approach shots as particularly strong, noting that he was hitting the ball precisely as intended, landing on the correct sides of the flags. He also observed that more putts began to drop on the back nine compared to the front.
The 26-year-old attributed his excellent start to his precision in approach shots, where he ranked third among competitors for the day. However, his putting prowess was equally crucial. His initial five birdie opportunities were all converted from within 10 feet, while his subsequent three successful putts came from distances of 24, 15, and 17 feet, respectively.
Åberg sunk three long-range putts on five of his final holes, allowing him to pull ahead of Hovland and English, who had concluded their rounds earlier in the day. For the disciplined right-handed player, this strong opening round presents yet another opportunity to position himself for weekend contention, a pattern he has frequently demonstrated on the PGA Tour in recent weeks, despite not yet securing a trophy in 2026.
Åberg mentioned that despite a challenging week prior, he felt his game was solid, but some minor errors had hindered his chances. He also expressed confidence in his swing and ball striking, indicating that minimal adjustments were needed in his preparation from Monday through Wednesday, believing that good golf was readily accessible to him.
Michael Brennan was one of 10 golfers who gained entry to this tournament after a victory in 2025. With the RBC Heritage expanding to include players who qualified for The Sentry (an event that did not proceed), the 24-year-old capitalized fully on this chance, delivering an impressive round of 65.
Matt Fitzpatrick, a former champion of this event, also carded a 65 later in the day, fueled by birdies on three of his last four holes and needing only 20 putts, playing alongside the world’s top-ranked player. Scottie Scheffler, the 2024 winner and Fitzpatrick’s playing partner, had a less favorable start but still managed a score of 68, despite his opening tee shot going out of bounds.
The leader
1. Ludvig Åberg (-8): Åberg’s name once again prominently features at the top of the leaderboard, continuing a trend from recent PGA Tour events. After a somewhat uneven showing at the Masters, Åberg resumed his strong form in regular tour competition. He arrived in Hilton Head having been in strong contention for victories in his last three non-major tournaments: the Arnold Palmer Invitational, The Players Championship, and the Texas Open.
Despite an otherwise flawless performance, Åberg did exhibit some significant inaccuracies off the tee. While he navigated these challenges successfully today, he will need to improve his driving accuracy to secure a win this week, having found only seven of 14 fairways.
Other contenders
T2. Viktor Hovland, Harris English (-7)
T4. Matt Fitzpatrick, Michael Brennan, Gary Woodland, Ryan Fox, Rickie Fowler, Andrew Novak (-6)
T10. Robert MacIntyre, Sungjae Im, Sepp Straka, Daniel Berger, Si Woo Kim (-5)
Viktor Hovland’s game appears to be steadily improving and consolidating. The Norwegian golfer has lately been known for frequent equipment and swing adjustments, but positive outcomes began to emerge at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, and he has maintained his approach since then.
His iron play was exceptional in the first round, placing him second in greens in regulation and among the top performers in strokes gained on approach, while his putting was also quite effective. A notable challenge for Hovland in recent seasons has been his performance off the tee, yet he acknowledged using his driver on only about four holes on Thursday, which allowed other facets of his game to excel.
Hovland commented that in the weeks leading up to the Masters, he had observed many promising aspects of his game. He noted that while it wasn’t yet exactly where he desired, he was seeing continuous progress and a reduction in the significant misses he had been grappling with, describing it as a slow and consistent advancement.
Gary keeps going
Gary Woodland is another familiar face appearing on the upper portion of the leaderboard this week. Following a solid initial two days at Augusta National before a decline over the weekend, the 2019 U.S. Open champion delivered another outstanding performance on Thursday with a first-round 65. Woodland’s play was comprehensive, but his short game was particularly instrumental in sustaining his momentum during the middle of his round.
Woodland stated his belief that his game is currently more complete than ever before, which he found encouraging. He indicated that his struggle was more mental than technical, expressing strong confidence in his game. He also mentioned feeling comfortable executing a variety of shots and being very at ease with his putter, which simplifies other aspects of play, expressing general satisfaction with his current form.
Koepka kept on the sidelines
Thursday morning at Harbour Town saw considerable attention directed towards a player not participating in the event. Brooks Koepka was listed as the first alternate and remained on standby until all tee times had passed, at which point he formally abandoned his hopes of competing in his initial signature event of the season.
Some speculated that Collin Morikawa, a two-time major winner, might withdraw due to his recent back injury and visible discomfort during his swing at the Masters. However, Morikawa proceeded with his round. Despite ranking among the lowest in the field for driving distance, Morikawa carded a clean 4-under round, appearing well-positioned to contend in yet another tournament.
Morikawa clarified that he was not experiencing pain but admitted to feeling extremely apprehensive, more so than ever before, about playing. He attributed this fear to the fact that the injury occurred on the golf course, unlike previous back issues that always arose in the gym. He explained that after gym incidents, he would assess if he felt capable of swinging, but this time, the on-course incident made him very timid and hesitant. He explained that the preparation had been progressing adequately before a minor setback, and ultimately, he felt compelled to play in the Masters. He recounted reaching a point where he decided to stop pushing his limits and instead work with what he had, acknowledging a history of back problems over the last three years and recognizing the need to find better ways to protect his back.
Regarding Koepka, his next event is the Zurich Classic, where he is scheduled to partner with fellow Srixon player Shane Lowry. A strong performance from the duo could potentially secure Koepka a spot in the subsequent two signature events leading up to the PGA Championship.
2026 RBC Heritage updated odds and picks
Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook
- Ludvig Åberg: 4-1
- Matt Fitzpatrick: 13/2
- Scottie Scheffler: 7-1
- Viktor Hovland: 8-1
- Harris English: 12-1
- Si Woo Kim: 18-1
- Robert MacIntyre: 18-1
- Rickie Fowler: 20-1
While Hovland’s first-round 64 was impressive, attention must also be paid to Fitzpatrick’s Thursday achievement, delivered without his absolute best game. As a player consistently performing well at Harbour Town annually, the Valspar Championship winner seems poised for a strong showing this weekend. If his current odds appear too low this early, considering Daniel Berger at 40-1 following his 5-under round might be an alternative.
