Golfing sensation Ludvig Aberg is set to compete in this year’s Players Championship, with the notable absence of the legendary Tiger Woods. Woods, who has been advised by numerous golf enthusiasts to retire, recently confirmed that he’s undergone surgical intervention due to a ruptured Achilles.
In a previous season, Aberg and Woods shared a memorable instance when Aberg triumphed at the Genesis Invitational. The Swedish golfer’s victory at Torrey Pines was a momentous occasion, one that he celebrated by posing with the trophy alongside Woods, who boasts an impressive 82 PGA Tour wins.
As Aberg gears up for the TPC Sawgrass tournament, he acknowledges Scottie Scheffler as the reigning two-time champion of the Players Championship. Yet, despite his focus on the impending tournament, Aberg didn’t shy away from commenting on Woods during his pre-tournament press conference.
When asked about Woods’ successful surgery, Aberg confessed, “Yeah, that was news to me as well now when you just said it. Obviously it’s very unfortunate. But, yeah, I mean I wish him a speedy recovery and hope everything goes well.”
While Woods’ Achilles surgery was successful, it’s yet to be determined how swiftly he’ll recover. His ongoing injury struggles raise concerns about whether a full recovery is indeed feasible for the 15-time major champion. The timing of his injury is particularly unfortunate, with the Masters tournament fast approaching after the Players Championship.
Aberg, on the other hand, is aimed at refining his game. His latest performance, a T22 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, is a highlight of his 2025 season. When probed about his current game and areas requiring improvement, Aberg admitted, “I felt like last week was a great test, and I felt like tee to green it was good enough to post a really good score.”
“I would like to be able to get the ball up-and-down a little bit more often. I would like to deal especially with the rough… I felt like from the fairway it was fine, but judging the lies off the rough last week was tricky when it was first it was wet and then it got dry and then the changing in conditions. So I would like to get that a little bit better. But overall tee to green I felt like it was good enough to play well,” added Aberg.
The Swedish golfer’s focus on refining his game, coupled with his aim to perform well at the upcoming Players Championship, is a testament to his dedication to the sport. As the golfing world anticipates the tournament, Aberg’s performance will certainly be one to watch, while hopes for Woods’ speedy recovery remain high.
