Michael Thorbjornsen gets his shot at a mentor Sunday at the Players

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — Michael Thorbjornsen has a lot of similarities with Ludvig Aberg.

The pair were the first two players to earn PGA Tour cards via PGA Tour University. They were both highly-ranked amateurs who dominated the college game. They both are residents of Ponte Vedra Beach, often playing practice rounds together at the Dye’s Valley Course at TPC Sawgrass.

And on Sunday at the 2026 Players Championship, they’ll be paired together in the same group: the final one.

Thornjornsen birdied the 16th and 17th holes Saturday, shooting 5-under 67 to reach 10 under. After an opening 74 on Thursday, a round Thorbjornsen said didn’t feel that bad but a product of weather conditions, he has bounced back with consecutive rounds in the 60s and earned himself the last tee time at the PGA Tour’s marquee event. And he gets to do it with someone he considers a mentor.

“He’s a great guy,” Thorbjornsen said of Aberg. “I love playing golf with him. He was one of the guys in college that I looked up to, even though he’s only one year older than me. Very solid, very solid player. I think his mental game is extremely good as well.” So if it ends up happening, I’m really looking forward to it and then, yeah, pretty cool that I guess two hometown guys are in the final group.”

Their relationship dates to junior golf. Aberg and Thorbjornsen competed against each other numerous times, though they hailed from separate continents. The Swedish Aberg then committed to Texas Tech, and Thorbjornsen decided to go to college even further west at Stanford.

Their battles continued at the collegiate ranks. Then in 2023, Aberg was the first recipient of a new program that rewarded a Tour card to the highest-placing collegiate senior. That was motivation for Thorbjornsen, who followed him up in 2024 and accomplished the same goal even after missing the entire fall semester of his senior year due to injury.

Now both residents of Florida’s First Coast, their battles on the course have continued.

“Lud and I have played a good amount,” Thorbjornsen said. “We’ve played Valley Course, I think we’ve played Stadium. I’m not sure.”

On Sunday, the good friends will be enemies for four-and-a-half hours between the ropes. Aberg has set the pace after 54 holes, sitting at 13 under with a three-shot cushion heading to the final round. But Thorbjornsen, who finished T-3 at the WM Phoenix Open earlier this year, has been in contention plenty of times as a pro, too. Still searching for his first win, he’ll have to chase down Aberg on Sunday.

It’s something he looks forward to doing.

Michael Thorbjornsen of the United States plays his shot from the seventh tee during the third round of THE PLAYERS Championship 2026 at THE PLAYERS Stadium course at TPC Sawgrass on March 14, 2026 in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.

“I don’t think I have to change too much, especially on courses like this,” Thorbjornsen said. “I think if you play some really steady golf you’ll run into some birdies. Does anyone have a bogey-free round either yesterday or today? I’m not too sure, but there aren’t many. So I think slow and steady wins the race, and we’re just going to play some solid golf.

“If you keep putting yourself in that position, it’s going to happen at some point. So I think that’s really the main goal of all of us players out here is to have a chance or be in contention on the back nine on Sunday, and however the cards may fall, that’s just how it is.”

Recent history is on Thorbjornsen’s side, even if the probabilities aren’t. During the first two events of the Florida Swing, 54-hole leaders have surrendered those advantages down the stretch and lost. At the Cognizant Classic, Shane Lowry’s lead was three with three to go and he lost by two shots. Then last week at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, Daniel Berger led by five shots at the turn and lost in a playoff to Akshay Bhatia.

Thorbjornsen believes its his turn to play the role of spoiler. This time against his good friend.

“I’ll see him in the locker room (after the round) and say what’s up,” Thorbjornsen said.

Come Sunday, it’s all business.

This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Michael Thorbjornsen chasing Ludvig Aberg on Sunday at Players 2026

Read the full article here