Scottie Scheffler and Ludvig Åberg are once again leading the pack, this time at the RBC Heritage late in the third round, not in a Masters replay on Golf Channel and CBS.
Could a new rivalry be brewing in the golf world this week?
The former Texas Tech Red Raider Scheffler has garnered a large following, turning pro last year and already clinching victories on both the PGA Tour and DP World Tour. Åberg, on the other hand, was part of the victorious Ryder Cup team that triumphed over the Americans in Rome last fall.
During the Ryder Cup, Åberg met Scheffler for the first time before a dominant performance alongside Viktor Hovland against Scheffler and Brooks Koepka.
Scheffler’s success at The Masters was no surprise, as he handled the pressure of a major championship with ease.
Challenged only by Scheffler on Sunday, Åberg finds himself once again in a similar position atop the leaderboard the following weekend.
Ryder Cup alum and 6-time DP World Tour winner Peter Hanson, Åberg’s coach, believes Åberg will be Scheffler’s biggest challenger in the coming years.
Hanson said, “The next five years, they are going to be fighting it out. You can ask Scottie, but I think he knows, and Ludvig knows.”
Scheffler’s recent success in 2024 has placed him far ahead of his competitors, but could Åberg be the one to catch up?
Despite his relative inexperience, 24-year-old Åberg has praised Scheffler as his favorite golfer, hinting at a potential rivalry.
While there’s mutual respect between the two, healthy competition remains present as they silently let their game speak for itself.
Fans have taken notice of the similarities between the two golfers, expecting them to dominate the sport for the foreseeable future.
Ludvig Aberg is currently the only one inside the top-10 (T1) who is losing strokes putting this week …
… he’s doing the Scottie while going toe-to-toe with new and improved Scottie
— Byron Lindeque (@TheModelManiac) April 20, 2024
Scottie Scheffler and Ludvig Aberg.
What a one/two for the PGA Tour
— Joe Public (@JoePublicBet) April 20, 2024
Just turned on Harbour Town, saw Scheffler-Aberg-Morikawa at the top of the leaderboard, and had to make sure this wasn’t a replay of last weekend.
— Will Bardwell (@willbardwell) April 20, 2024
This week was not supposed to be about Scheffler, but the 27-year-old has defied expectations with a strong performance at the RBC Heritage.
This was supposed to be the week that everyone could get one over on Scottie.
But context and circumstances may truly not matter with Scheffler.
— Paul Hodowanic (@PaulHodowanic) April 20, 2024
Despite a more relaxed preparation, Scheffler eyes his fourth win of the season at the RBC Heritage, with Åberg potentially poised to end his streak.
Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. For more golf coverage, be sure to follow us @_PlayingThrough on all major social platforms. You can also follow her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.