Players Championship: Ludvig Aberg reacts to taking 36-hole lead at PGA Tour's flagship event

Ludvig Aberg claimed he may have an advantage after snatching the lead at the halfway stage of the 2026 Players Championship. 

The 26-year-old, who helped Europe to Ryder Cup victory last September, signed for a scintillating nine-under 63 to reach 12-under par. 

Aberg's round on Friday on TPC Sawgrass included two eagles, six birdies and one bogey.

He leads two-time major champion, Xander Schauffele, by two shots at the $25m event. 

The Swede relocated to Ponte Vedra Beach in November 2024 with his girlfriend Olivia Peet and the golfer practises at the Stadium Course.

"Is there an advantage?" asked Aberg after his round. "Maybe. But you still have to hit the shots."

Aberg has started the season slowly but over the last few weeks he has started to move in the right direction with good performances in signature events at Pebble Beach and Riviera. 

"I feel like I've understood a little bit more what's important for me in my golf swing and kind of sticking to that, not necessarily trying to look away other ways around it, and keeping it very simple," he said. 

"I think my mind is very good when it's simple, and when things are very easy, and that's what I've felt like I've been able to do over the last couple of weeks."

The first round of the 2026 Players Championship was delayed owing to inclement weather. 

As is so often the case here, pace-of-play has been an issue, with groups taking in excess of five hours to get round. 

Aberg, who is known for being one of the fastest players, wasn't too fussed. 

"All I could do was just try to control me, control my routines," he said. 

"It's just kind of the time in between the routines just gets much longer. 

"But yeah, try to keep it loose with Joe [Skovron, his caddie], try to have a good time and enjoy it. 

"The weather today was really nice, so it was quite nice."

Elsewhere, defending champion, Rory McIlroy, and world number one, Scottie Scheffler both made the cut on the number. 

Former Open champion Shane Lowry was among the high-profile players to miss the cut. 

Schauffele is looking for his first win last October's Baycurrent Classic in Japan. 

The 32-year-old hit all 18 greens in regulation on Friday and was 11 strokes better than his playing partner McIlroy. 

Not that he noticed. 

"I mean I felt like I was just in my own world, to be honest," Schauffele said.  

"He was grinding. You could tell he was trying to make that cut, and he hit a lot of really good shots coming in to make it. 

"So, yeah, I mean, the first two rounds of golf is kind of a positioning battle, and so is tomorrow and a little bit on Sunday too. 

"So just happy to be in this position."