”The Beast” that Hanson is talking about is Oakmont Country Club, this week's major course located a few miles northeast of central Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
The course has previously hosted the US Open nine times – and the winning score has been as low as five under par.
In other words: bogeys are something you have to live with. Par is good. Birdies are a bonus. Although a lot of rain in recent times has made the course a bit easier to play than usual.
Everything is difficult. It's very up and down and sloping, you have all the bunkers and the thick rough and super-fast greens, says Peter Hanson.
Form update by Åberg
The 47-year-old, now a key person in the team around Ludvig Åberg, played himself in the two latest US Open editions on Oakmont – 2007 and 2016.
The first time I came in decent form and was comfortable in my game. Then I finished 30th. Since I qualified in 2016, but was in a bit of mediocre form and already on Tuesday I felt: “This is completely over”, says Hanson and laughs.
You know, on some other courses you can maybe get by somehow. But on Oakmont I was so exposed with the weaknesses in my game.
Well, it's good that Ludvig Åberg shows promising form after a few spring months that, apart from the top performance in the US Masters on Augusta National, have been a bit more uneven than usual.
I think last week in Canada (13th place) was incredibly important, to get a confirmation that the game is going in the right direction and that the form is going up, says Hanson.
”Extremely difficult”
That Ludvig Åberg hits long is a clear advantage on Oakmont, both when you have to get out of the thick rough and to get a better angle of landing with iron shots into the greens. There then awaits another big challenge.
He has been good at putting on Augusta on very fast greens. The big difference is that it actually doesn't slope very much around the holes on Augusta, but on Oakmont it slopes terribly. It will be extremely difficult short putting.
The Canadian Open was added late in Ludvig Åberg's schedule and this is the first time he will tee off in a major directly after having competed two weeks in a row. A test that hopefully will come out well, as the 25-year-old often feels that he usually competes himself into even better form.
If you look at how we worked at the beginning when he turned pro in 2023 so he competed very much – and he likes it. That's something we will look at in the future, to maybe try to add a few more tournaments besides the “fixed” schedule that will be with majors and “signature events”, says Peter Hanson.
Carl Göransson/TT
Facts: Ludvig Åberg
TT
Born: October 31, 1999 in Eslöv.
World ranking: Sixth.
Major merits: Second in US Masters last year, seventh in US Masters this year, twelfth in US Open last year.
Way to US Open: After a period of mostly modest placements, Åberg has the last two weeks a 16th place (The Memorial) and a 13th place (Canadian Open).
+ This year's third golf major, which will be decided for the 125th time this week.
+ Played on Oakmont Country Club outside Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
+ The title defender is Bryson DeChambeau, USA.
+ Two Swedes participate. In addition to world sixth Ludvig Åberg, also Joakim Lagergren, who will make his major debut after qualifying.
+ This year's first two majors have been won by world number two Rory McIlroy, Northern Ireland (US Masters) and world number one Scottie Scheffler, USA (PGA Championship).
