The 17th hole at TPC Sawgrass has swallowed 1,068 balls since 2003, and it has never once apologized for it. Ludvig Aberg has walked that tee box three times this week, holding the lead each time, and he will tell you plainly that every visit made him nervous. What he will also tell you, if you ask the right question, is exactly what he does about it.

“Whenever I get in a stressful situation, I have to slow myself down because I get really fast. I start talking fast, I start breathing fast, and I kind of get a little worked up like that,” Aberg said during the post-game press conference at the Players.

Aberg, 26, will start the final round of The Players Championship at 13-under par, three shots ahead of Michael Thorbjornsen. He leads the field in tee-to-green and proximity to the hole. His second-round 63 tied the front-nine record at TPC Sawgrass. On paper, he appears composed. But when asked if he expects to be nervous on Sunday, he did not hide it.

“Yeah, I’ll definitely be nervous. I’ve been nervous the last three days. I’ve been nervous every time I step on the 17th tee box as well.”

He didn’t try to qualify his answer or make it sound less serious. A year ago, Rory McIlroy stood in the same spot, on the first hole of a sudden-death playoff at the 2025 Players Championship, and called it “the most nervous I’ve been in a long time.” He made a birdie and won the title. TPC Sawgrass often brings out this honesty in even the calmest players, and both men know that feeling nervous isn’t the real issue.

The real challenge is controlling his pace, and for Aberg, that means focusing on his body.

His caddie, Joe Skovron, who previously worked with Rickie Fowler for 13 years, now plays a key role. When Aberg starts to speed up, Skovron slows his own pace, making it clear without saying anything.

“Sometimes you’ll see Joe kind of walk a little bit slower, which is one of the things that we’ve talked about that he could do to help me out. And then I have to kind of slow down a little bit and keep up with him.”

Åberg’s approach shows what is now common on tour: managing pressure is as much physical as mental. The caddie’s job is no longer just about clubs. The partnership between Skovron and Aberg is a clear example.

Ludvig Aberg’s experience bank is now paying off at The Players Championship

The system was not built overnight. Aberg’s rise has come through stages that most 26-year-olds have not experienced. European captain Luke Donald picked him for the Ryder Cup before he had played a major, relying on what he saw rather than what was on paper. In April 2024, Aberg made his major debut at Augusta National and finished second, four shots behind Scottie Scheffler.

He won the 2025 Genesis Invitational at Torrey Pines. This week, he arrived after a T3 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, his best result in a 2026 season that started with a withdrawal and a missed cut. He has since regained his form.

“I feel like I’ve had enough experiences where I’ve seen it work… Ryder Cups, big events where it’s happened, and I can kind of calm myself down a little bit.”

Each of these moments has added to his experience. If Aberg holds on to his lead on Sunday, he will be the first since McIlroy in 2019 to lead at the halfway point at The Players and finish the job. The 17th hole will be a test. He will not hide the nerves, but he will try to stay ahead of them.