SILVIS – Swedish import Ludvig Aberg was the first interview subject for the assembled press this week in the John Deere Classic’s Media Center.
The 23-year-old PGA Tour rookie earned that honor for more reasons than making his first three cuts since turning pro last month – or sitting in title contention last weekend at the Rocket Mortgage Classic in Detroit.
Mentioned among the pre-tournament favorites at the 52nd annual JDC, the European Ryder Cup hopeful is so far living up to the hype as the World’s No. 1 ranked amateur during his just-completed, two-year run as the U.S. College Player of the Year.
However, another Swede surprisingly stole the first-round show Thursday, July 6, at the $7.4 million local PGA Tour stop.
Jonas Blixt, a three-time Tour winner 16 years Mr. Aberg’s senior, set the pace for the morning tee times with a 9-under 62 and never relinquished his spot atop the leaderboard at TPC Deere Run.
The 62 matched his lowest score ever on the Tour. He balanced a bogey on the par-4 5th hole with two eagles and six birdies – five of them coming in a scorching 7-under 29 on the back nine holes.
Mr. Blixt last won on the PGA Tour in 2017 at the Zurich Classic in New Orleans, claiming that team event with his partner after a four-hole playoff. However, his biggest claim to fame came at the 2014 Masters – tying for second with two-time former JDC champ Jordan Spieth, three shots behind Bubba Watson.
Mr. Blixt also finished 4th at the 2013 PGA Championship, but back surgery in 2019 has slowed his once-promising career. He has little over $300,000 of his nearly $11 million in earnings the last three seasons, and Mr. Blixt has even had trouble qualifying for tournament fields this year without full exempt status.
Additionally, Mr. Blixt said he has “played crappy” this season – missing the second-round field cutdown in five of the eight PGA events he has played in so far this season. His last Tour event was six weeks ago in mid-May at the AT&T Byron Nelson. He played on the minor league Korn Ferry Tour last week.
“I feel like I did a lot of putting this week, which kind of worked out (Thursday). Then I found something in my swing on Tuesday (in practice) with my swing coach,” said Mr. Blixt, who reported tweaking on his golf swing since mid-May.
“At this point when you don’t have that much confidence in your game and you find something, you just kind of go out and see where you swing at it, and that’s what happened.
“Golf is weird. Like, (Friday) I can shoot 100 I feel like, but (Thursday) was a great day.”
One of nine Swedes to ever win on the PGA Tour, Mr. Blixt highlighted his big day by rolling in a 43-foot eagle putt on the par-4 14th hole. He also scored an eagle on the par-5 No. 2.
While pleasantly surprised by the results, Mr. Blixt said Thursday’s opener is not only repeatable Friday, but also during Saturday’s and Sunday’s final two rounds.
“But when you go through swing changes, sometimes there’s a little bit of doubt in there,” he admitted. “(Thursday) I got into a really good rhythm.
“I spoke to my swing coach … (and) he said he’s never seen me swing this well. He has been with me since my college days. So that gives you a little bit of a confidence boost as well.
“Am I happy about a 9-under first round? Absolutely. Stoked about it. But does it really mean anything? Not really. … I’ve only played 25% of the tournament. There’s 75% to go. I always feel like the back nine on Sunday is where it really matters, so we’ll see where I will be on Sunday.”
As for Mr. Aberg – a 3-under opening round and tie for 23rd – put him six strokes off the pace for becoming the 24th first-time Tour winner at the JDC. Five of the last 11 winners claimed their first Tour victory in an event that’s helped launch the careers of Major winners such as Mr. Spieth.
Mr. Aberg played in Thursday’s marquee group – teeing off in the afternoon with 2022 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year Cameron Young and former University of Illinois star Nick Hardy.
Mr. Young, the 2022 British Open runner-up, nearly caught Mr. Blixt. The world’s highest ranked player in the 156-man field (19th) was at 7-under through 17 holes but bogeyed the No. 18 finishing hole to sit in a 7-way tie for third at 6-under.
Mr. Hardy, currently 44th in the FedEx Cup playoff chase, was in a group of nine tied for 14th at 4-under. Only the top 70 in the FedEx Cup standings qualify for next month’s three rounds of playoffs – which makes the playoff points up for grabs at the JDC just as important as the $1.332 million winner’s share of the purse.
From the afternoon half of the tee times, Grayson Murray came closest to matching Mr. Blixt, sitting at 8-under through 17 holes, before a bogey on his closing hole, No. 9, had him settle for sole possession of second at 7-under.
Defending 2022 JDC champ J.T. Poston was among those tied with Mr. Aberg at 3-under. Mr. Poston was the first golfer in 30 years last July to win the JDC in wire-to-wire fashion.
Lucas Glover, one of six other former JDC champions in this weekend’s field as the 2021 winner, settled for a 2-under 69 and share of 41st place.
U.S. Ryder Cup captain Zach Johnson from nearby Cedar Rapids, Iowa – the 2012 JDC champ between victories in the 2007 Masters and 2015 British Open – began his 21st consecutive JDC start with a 1-over score and is in danger of missing the weekend cut. Mr. Johnson is a long-time board member and supporter of the JDC.
Same for another past champ — Michael Kim, who set the tourney’s scoring record with a four-round 257 in 2018. Mr. Kim opened with a 1-over 72.
The other former champs and their first-round score are: 2019 winner Dylan Frittelli (even par 71), 2016 champ Ryan Moore (2-under) and 2005 titlist Sean O’Hair (3-over).
The top ranked player in the JDC field according to the FedEx Cup standings — RBC Canadian Open champion Nick Taylor (9th heading into the weekend) – finished 1-over for the day.
Also ranked in the FedEx Cup’s Top 30 are Seamus Power (5-under), Denny McCarthy (3-under), Chris Kirk (3-under), Emiliano Grillo (2-under) and Taylor Moore (1-under).
Nine-time PGA Tour winner Matt Kuchar finished the opening round at 2-under.
Also from the Top 40 of the World rankings are Russell Henley (2-under Thursday) and Sepp Straka (2-over heading into Friday).
In all, 114 golfers shot par or better on the JDC’s first day.
