High-flying Ludvig Åberg decides to switch caddie

Ludvig Åberg of Sweden – who was been a walking ATM since turning professional back in June, with wins on both the DP World Tour and the PGA Tour – is set to switch caddie for next season.

Bad news for one bagman, good news for another.

Jack Clarke, the Englishman who has been on Åberg’s bag since the now world number 32 turned pro, including carrying for the rising star at the Ryder Cup, must be wondering why?

Åberg will take on veteran American looper Joe Skovron (who numbers Rickie Fowler and most recently Tom Kim among his past paymasters) as his new caddie starting with next month’s Sentry Tournament of Champions in Hawaii

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Clarke, a former professional and well-respected in the caddie shack by his fellow bagmen, is engaged to Solheim Cup player Madelene Sagström and previously caddied on the LPGA Tour before getting the golden opportunity from Åberg.

In their short but successful time together, Aberg – a winner of the Omega European Masters and the RSM Classic – amassed over €4 million in prize money which hopefully will at least go some way towards easing the pain for Clarke, given he was on a percentage of winnings.

Tiger and Charlie line up again for PNC championship

Most eyes will be on the Tiger Woods and son Charlie pairing at this week’s PNC Championship in Florida, although the father-son theme is one that features with the majority of pairings at the end-of-season shindig.

Indeed, Pádraig Harrington – who finished fourth with eldest son Paddy last year – has gifted a birthday present to his youngest son Ciarán (who turns 16 this month) by making him his partner this time. It’ll be the first time for Ciarán to feature.

Vijay Singh and son Qass are the defending champions in the unique tournament that also features past champions John Daly and son John Jnr, Steve Stricker playing with his daughter Izzy and Nelly Korda playing with her father, Petr, the former Australian Open tennis champion.

Of again playing with son Charlie, for a fourth time in the event, Woods said: “It is an amazing gift to be able to share my love of golf with Charlie and we genuinely do look forward to playing in the PNC Championship all year. Competing together, against a field of so many golfing greats and their families, is so special.”

Word of Mouth

“I can’t wait to get home. I’ve got a wife and three boys waiting at home, it’s been a long year. I’ve missed them a lot” – Finland’s Kalle Samooja – who played 27 events on the DP World Tour this season – on earning one of three cards to next year’s LIV Golf at the qualifying event in Abu Dhabi. Japan’s Jinichiro Kozuma and Zimbabwe’s Kieran Vincent (who joins his brother Scott on the tour) also earned 2024 cards on the PIF-funded circuit.

By the Numbers: 50

Nicolai Højgaard is set to remain in the all-important 50th position in the official world rankings which will earn the Dane a ticket to next year’s Masters tournament in Augusta National.

On this day: December 12th, 1999

“I feel like a very rank amateur at the moment, like an 18-year-old that just throws away a tournament,” lamented Australian Craig Parry after losing a lead down the stretch to lose out to New Zealander Greg Turner in the Australia PGA Championship at the Victoria Club in Melbourne.

Parry’s woes – he bogeyed the 15th and double-bogeyed the 17th to lose control of his own destiny – were in stark contrast to the popular Turner who claimed a first title in more than two years, since his 1997 British Masters win. He carded a final round 72 for a total of 10-under-par 278, two shots clear of Shane Tait and three ahead of third-placed Parry.

Turner’s 11th win of his professional career brought satisfaction for the manner in which he grinded it out. “It was a tough day. I didn’t feel particularly comfortable at any stage with my game so when you’re in that circumstance, it’s going to be a battle … it sort of fell for me,” said Turner of lifting the famed Joe Kirkwood Cup.

X-Twitter Twaddle

“Interesting consequences of the LIV/Rahm 560m$. It sets a very high anchor price for future signings as well as renegotiations for current players – Pádraig Harrington on the defection of Jon Rahm to LIV and how it is set to pave the way for even more greenbacks going into players’ coffers.

“Team FiNelly was too fresh all week. I had a blast playing and competing with @NellyKorda she’s an absolute BEAST. Getting to know her better was a real treat. Needless to say I’m a fan – Tony Finau on playing with Nelly Korda in the Grant Thornton Invitational which was won by Jason Day and Lydia Ko.

It’s not spoken about much but as players leave for LIV it opens up potential for the Greggy to get in events . . . there’s always a silver lining – a tongue-in-cheek Greg Chalmers hoping for more openings on the PGA Tour.

Know the Rules

Q: A player’s third shot comes to rest in some high rough. After a brief search, they find a ball but cannot see if it is theirs. Without marking it, they lift the ball to identify it, see the ball is theirs and so replace it and play. What is the ruling?

A: The player gets a one-stroke penalty for not first marking the ball before identifying it (Rule 9.4).

In the Bag: Louis Oosthuizen (Alfred Dunhill Championship)

Driver: Ping G400 (8.5 degrees)

5-wood: Ping G5 (16 degrees)

7-wood: Ping G400 (20.5 degrees)

Irons: Ping i-blade (4-PW)

Wedges: Callaway S Grind (50, 54 and 60 degrees)

Putter: Ping PLD

Ball: Titleist ProV1