Rory McIlroy put on notice as PGA Tour ace makes six-word claim about US Open star

Ludvig Aberg Takes the Lead at US Open: Rory McIlroy and Chasing Pack on High Alert

In a thrilling twist at the US Open, Ludvig Aberg, just a year into his professional career, surged to the front with an impressive performance at Pinehurst. The 24-year-old Swede, in only his third major championship, held a one-shot lead at the halfway stage after carding a 69 to add to his opening 66, bringing him to five under par.

Aberg’s nearest competitors included Belgium’s Thomas Detry and the American duo of Bryson DeChambeau and Patrick Cantlay, all trailing by just one stroke. Not far behind, Rory McIlroy, Tony Finau, and Matthieu Pavon were poised two shots off the lead, each determined to close the gap.

The prospect of Aberg winning on his US Open debut echoes the historic feat of Francis Ouimet, the last player to do so in 1913. Given Aberg’s meteoric rise, such an accomplishment seems within reach. Turning professional in June 2023, Aberg swiftly made his mark by winning on the DP World Tour and contributing significantly to Europe’s Ryder Cup victory in Rome, highlighted by a record-breaking 9&7 win alongside Viktor Hovland against Scottie Scheffler and Brooks Koepka. He further showcased his talent with a PGA Tour victory before the year’s end.

Aberg’s major debut at the Masters in April saw him challenge world number one Scottie Scheffler until the final moments. His consistent performance has earned him accolades from seasoned players like Tony Finau, who described him as “a machine” and predicted a challenging path ahead for anyone trying to stop Aberg from making history.

Finau, reflecting on his experience playing alongside Aberg, remarked, “It’s the first time I’ve ever played with him. The guy is like a machine.” Aberg, on his part, acknowledged the difficulty of the US Open course, stating, “I think a US Open is supposed to be hard. It’s supposed to be tricky and it’s supposed to challenge any aspect of your game and I feel like it’s really doing that. But I’m super fortunate with the way that things have turned out over the last couple days and hopefully we’ll be able to keep it up.”

In other notable developments, Scottie Scheffler managed to make the halfway cut with a five over par following a challenging second round of 74. Former Open champion Francesco Molinari provided a spectacular highlight with a hole-in-one on the ninth, his final hole of the day, securing his place for the weekend.

As the competition intensifies, all eyes are on Ludvig Aberg, whose extraordinary debut might just rewrite the history books at Pinehurst.