Ludvig Aberg leads RBC Heritage as Brooks Koepka misses out

Ludvig Aberg will take a one-shot lead into the second round of the RBC Heritage. 

The young Swede was bogey-free as he went round Harbour Town Golf Links in eight-under 63 on Thursday. 

He leads his Ryder Cup teammate, Viktor Hovland, and America's Harris English by one stroke. 

England's Matthew Fitzpatrick birdied three of his final four holes to jump inside the top 10. 

"Anytime you are bogey-free and you make eight birdies, it's a good day," Aberg said. 

"I felt like the highlight for me was definitely my irons and my approach play.

"I felt like that was really positive. Felt like I was hitting the flights I was trying to do. 

"I was on the correct side of the flags, those kind of things that I really like to see. 

"Then a few putts went in on the back nine that I didn't really do on the front.

"Overall, super pleased with today."

Pre-tournament favourite and world number one, Scottie Scheffler, mixed five birdies and two bogeys in an opening 68.

England's Tommy Fleetwood endured a nightmare start and is 81st in the 82-man field. 

Fleetwood carded a five-over 76 in a round that included four bogeys, one triple bogey and two birdies. 

Defending champion, Justin Thomas, carded a 75 and is well off the pace. 

Collin Morikawa, who was visibly struggling at last week's Masters with a back injury but rallied late to produce a top 10 finish at the first men's major of the year, told reporters he was thinking about not playing this week's signature event. 

Morikawa said he's still swinging at 50 per cent.

"I think it's going to take a little bit more time at home to push the limits," he said. 

"I feel like I'm swinging a little bit better in the motion, at least, but I wouldn't say I'm putting more effort into it because, like I said, I need to be at home to say, okay, let's turn up the gears. 

"If I do feel a little uncomfortable, at least I'm home, I'm not trying to play a tournament where I essentially need to make it 72 holes."

The RBC Heritage carries a $20m purse with no cut. 

Masters champion Rory McIlroy has decided to skip the tournament for the second straight year, having previously said the course doesn't suit him.

Elsewhere, Brooks Koepka endured a tough day. 

The American was the first alternate and turned up at 6.45am hoping to get a tee time in the event another player withdrew. 

Koepka was left disappointed, though, and left the course after the final group teed off.