THE MODERATOR: We would like to welcome Ludvig Aberg into the interview room at the RBC Canadian Open. Ludvig recently finished No. 1 in the PGA TOUR University class of 2023 and is making his first start as a PGA TOUR member here at the RBC Canadian Open. So Ludvig, you have played in a few PGA TOUR events to this point, but you're teeing it up for the first time as a member of the TOUR. How does that feel for you making your debut here as a member?
LUDVIG ABERG: It's fun. It's a lot of fun. It as little bit different from a college event. There's a lot more going on behind the scenes. Obviously there's a lot of good players here. But I'm really looking forward to it and hopefully I'll be able to play some good golf too.
THE MODERATOR: Joining the TOUR at this point, we're in June, so what are your goals kind of the rest of the season as you kind of pick it up from here?
LUDVIG ABERG: Yeah, I mean, I think, first of all, I'm super fortunate to be in this position, to actually get my TOUR card. I'm just going to be prepared to play a lot of golf. Play as much as I can, get as many points as I can and kind of see where that takes me.
THE MODERATOR: We'll take some questions.
Q. You remained an amateur for a little bit longer. You could have turned professional sooner. What was some of the factors for remaining an amateur for so long?
LUDVIG ABERG: There was a lot. I had the opportunity to turn pro after my junior year in college. But I think one of the things that I didn't really know was how the PGA TOUR University program was going to develop. Obviously now looking back at it I was, I definitely made the right call. And, honestly, to be fair, I didn't think I was good enough at that point, too. There was a few things that I wanted to still develop and get better at and improve on. I feel like I've done that. So I'm super fortunate to be here at this stage of my career, too.
Q. What do you know about Canada?
LUDVIG ABERG: Hockey. Lots of Swedes playing hockey here.
Q. Have you played any golf here? Any cross with some of the Canadian amateurs?
LUDVIG ABERG: No, it's my first time in Canada. So it's -- but it reminds me a lot of back home, actually. Just the way that the course looks like and kind of the whole environment. So I like it. It's familiar.
Q. Forgive me for the cliche, sort of follow-up. What do you know about hockey here in terms of any players, that kind of thing?
LUDVIG ABERG: Well, I just know that Sweden has been good to Toronto in terms of players. But I think, I mean, I grew up in the south part of the Sweden. So we don't, like I'm not a huge hockey fan. But I still watch it whenever I can back home. But it's just fun.
Q. As you start on your professional career, this might be looking way too forward, but have you let your mind wander to what it's going to be like to tee it up in major championships and potential Ryder Cups and things of that nature or are you kind of more focused on the process and just getting started? Because I'm sure this has to be a lot for you.
LUDVIG ABERG: Like you said, the last couple of weeks has been pretty intense. But it's something I've been preparing for for a long time and now it's actually happening. So I'm super happy about that. I think as a competitor you really look forward to playing those big events. And with majors and Ryder Cups being there I think absolutely it's in the back of my head. But it's not something that I can necessarily think about right now. All I can do is prepare as good as I can for this week and do as good practice as I can and then be able or be ready to go on Thursday morning.
Q. You played in PGA TOUR events before. But with this being your first, with the news breaking yesterday, what's the vibe been like out there with all the other players? I know you're still kind of getting your feet wet on TOUR here, but what has it been like talking with the other guys this week?
LUDVIG ABERG: This being my first day on my job. So I don't, I don't really know. I mean, there's a lot of changes going on. I don't necessarily have all that information, so I don't really know, to be fair.
Q. Just your impressions of the golf course. I don't know how much you've been able to see it. You were playing in Lambton, the U.S. Open qualifier. Not going to ask you to compare it to that, but what do you make of what you saw out there today?
LUDVIG ABERG: It's good. I played the front nine this morning and I played the back nine yesterday. They're a little bit different, the two nines. The front nine is pretty difficult, pretty challenging, especially off the tee. Important to hit the fairways to get a good shot into the smaller greens. The rough is up. So it's going to be a little bit tricky. But it's a good test. It's definitely a good test.
Q. 18, par-5, I think it's playing 459 on the card. What do you make of the idea of that? A lot of times, par-5, guys want to bomb and gouge. Don't know you'll be able to do that. What do you make of the closing hole here?
LUDVIG ABERG: Normally, if I see a par-5 I usually hit driver. But I don't think I can do that on 18 here. It's going to be -- it's a fun hole though. It's reachable in two and hopefully you hit two good shots and have a chance for eagle.
Q. You mentioned the PGA TOUR U promotion. You were pretty recently promoted. Just wondering the vibe amongst your college teammates and other guys that you would play against about how big that's going to be moving forward, giving those kind of opportunities to college players?
LUDVIG ABERG: Yeah, I think it's great. The PGA TOUR U team has done a tremendous job of incorporating us and giving us benefits and opportunities. I'm just fortunate to be kind of the first guy to take advantage of it. But I think it's going to get better. I think more guys are going to be able to take advantage of it. I think it's going to make college golf better. I think the incentive to stay in school, finish your degree and then all the opportunities that you can take advantage of. If someone told me two or three years ago that I would have status right out of college I would be over the moon. So obviously super happy to take advantage of it.
Q. Wondering if you watched, Rose Zhang won her first tournament as a pro last weekend, if that made you wonder about what could be possible this weekend for yourself.
LUDVIG ABERG: Yeah, I mean, obviously Rose is unbelievable. She's an unbelievable player, unbelievable person and what she's done is pretty amazing. If I can do something along those lines I think I'm doing pretty well. But she had obviously a great college career and she's going to have a great pro career too. So congrats to her.
Q. Obviously, first pro event, first PGA TOUR event as a pro. Do you think your pretournament efforts, your preparations, anything like that will be different either this week or moving forward as compared to college or are you just trying to still be the same guy you've been the last four years?
LUDVIG ABERG: Well, it's going to be different. It's going to look a little bit different. College rounds, usually we got one day, six hours and you play a six-some. So that's definitely, I'm looking forward to change that, definitely. But I'm still going to be the same person. I'm not going to change anything like that. Stay true to who I am. See where that takes me.
THE MODERATOR: All right, Ludvig. Thank you very much for your time and good luck this week as you begin your professional career.
LUDVIG ABERG: Thank you.
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