Efe Ajagba signed with Zuffa Boxing after a frustrating draw against Martin Bakole that many observers believed Ajagba deserved to win. On Sunday, Ajagba made good on a new opportunity with new promoters, finishing former IBF heavyweight champion Charles Martin with a fourth-round TKO.
Martin controlled much of the action through the first three rounds, moving around the perimeter of the ring and forcing Ajagba to come to him. Ajagba didn’t utilize a jab while trying to close distance, allowing Martin to land counters and avoid the predictable right hands from Ajagba.
For all of Martin’s success, heavyweight is a division where things can change in an instant, and that’s exactly what happened in Round 3. With Martin moving along the ropes once again, Ajagba landed a heavy right hand that put Martin on the canvas. Martin beat the count and survived the round, but was right back down in the opening 30 seconds of the fourth round, again from a right hand.
Ajagba remained patient, hunting down Martin and continuing to land flurries of big shots until the referee was forced to jump in and halt the bout at the 1:11 mark of Round 4.
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Zuffa Boxing’s heavyweight division is very much still in development, but Ajagba entered the fight on the fringes of the top 10 in the world, and a big knockout win over a former world champion cements him as a man who will likely be competing for Zuffa’s heavyweight title in the future.
Let’s take a look at what else happened at Zuffa Boxing 03.
Umar Dzambekov def. Ahmed Elbiali via KO, Round 2
Dzambekov dominated a fight that was expected to be one of the best of the night. In the opening frame, Dzambekov was able to work a pinpoint jab and straight, often dipping down to the body with his shots. It was clear from the early moments that the skill differential was massive and that Elbiali’s only chance was likely to land a single, fight-changing shot.
Unfortunately for Elbiali, that big shot came from Dzambekov. As Elbiali attempted to move forward through Dzambekov’s shots, Dzambekov landed a crushing uppercut that sent Elbiali’s eyes rolling up into his head as he crashed to the canvas. Elbiali’s feet were twitching as the referee began his count, making it clear the fight was over in that moment.
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Dzambekov looked like a man with all of the skills to be one of the major players on the still-developing Zuffa Boxing roster. And a fight with Radivoje Kalajdzic could be a huge one for Zuffa Boxing’s light heavyweight division.
Jaybrio Pe Benito def. Abel Mejia via TKO, Round 3
The main card got off to a wild start as Pe Benito scored a massive upset knockout of Mejia in the third round of their lightweight bout. The fight got off to a fast start with both men landing meaningful shots in toe-to-toe exchanges before things took a massive turn in the second round. As the two exchanged again, Pe Benito landed a short left hook that sent Mejia to the canvas.
Mejia beat the referee’s count and the bell sounded to end the round. Mejia was not given a chance to get back on track in the third round, as Pe Benito landed a crushing straight right hand that sent Mejia back to the canvas. Mejia again rose to his feet, but this time was unsteady and the referee was forced to halt the action less than a minute into the round.
Pe Benito was a big underdog at +500 but now owns one of the biggest knockouts in Zuffa Boxing’s short history, though maybe not quite as thunderous as Dzambekov’s uppercut one fight later.
Frank Onyeka has reacted to Coventry City’s 2–1 loss to Southampton in the EFL Championship.
The Nigerian midfielder, who joined Coventry in the January transfer window, had helped the team win six matches in a row before the game. However, he was unable to make a strong impact as Southampton secured a narrow victory.
Despite the defeat, Coventry remain top of the league table.
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Speaking after the match, Onyeka encouraged his teammates to stay focused and move on quickly.
“It was a good game, but unfortunately, we could not get our win today. We had lots of chances which didn’t go in. It’s just one of those days. We have to pick ourselves up and go into the next game,” he said.
“The defeat isn’t something any player wants, but again, it’s one of those days where we have to accept what has happened and use it to fuel us in the next game.
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“When we scored, we thought it was time to go for a point, but at the same time, there were other chances. It’s disappointing, but there’s nothing to dwell on here.
“I love playing here. From my first day at the club, I knew it was right. They welcomed me well, and I had my son here,” Onyeka added.
The midfielder says the team must respond strongly in their next fixture as they continue their push for promotion.
The New York Giants continue their rebuild under new coach John Harbaugh. After 18 seasons with the Ravens, he was introduced as the 21st head coach of the franchise in January.
On Saturday, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported that the team is bringing in wide receiver Darnell Mooney for the upcoming season. They are reportedly finalizing a one-year contract worth up to $10 million.
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“Free agent wide receiver Darnell Mooney plans to sign with the Giants, per source. More speed on the way for Jaxson Dart. New York and agents @aj_stevens and David Mulugheta of @AthletesFirst reached deal today,” Fowler wrote.
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Social media started buzzing with various reactions to the Giants adding more firepower on offense.
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“Another weapon for Jaxson Dart,” one fan commented.
@JFowlerESPN @AdamSchefter @aj__stevens @AthletesFirst Another weapon for Jaxson Dart. ⚡
“Replacement for Wan’Dale (Robinson),” another fan said.
@JFowlerESPN @aj__stevens @AthletesFirst Good replacement for Wan’Dale.
“Jaxson Dart just got another weapon and the Giants are quietly building something around their young quarterback that the reest of the NFC should start paying attention to,” this fan wrote.
@JFowlerESPN @aj__stevens @AthletesFirst Jaxson Dart just got another weapon and the Giants are quietly building something around their young quarterback that the rest of the NFC should start paying attention to
“I like it. Another reasonable deal for a solid WR. I think they have solid weapons now. Two TEs, two RBs a number onee receiver and two solid WRs behind him,” another fan said.
@JFowlerESPN @aj__stevens @AthletesFirst I like it. Another reasonable deal for a solid WR. I think they have solid weapons now. Two TEs, Two RBs a number one receiver and two solid WRs behind him.
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“Mooney is fast but he hasn’t been a consistent number one receiver since his Chicago days. is this genuinely the weapon we’re building araound Jaxson Dart,” one fan wrote.
@JFowlerESPN @aj__stevens @AthletesFirst Mooney is fast but he hasn’t been a consistent number one receiver since his Chicago days 😭 is this genuinely the weapon we’re building around Jaxson Dart?
“Giants are cooking something not surprising if they make the playoffs this year,” this fan commented.
@JFowlerESPN @AdamSchefter @aj__stevens @AthletesFirst Giants are cooking something not surprising if they make the playoffs this year
The Bears drafted Darnell Mooney with the 173rd overall pick back in 2020. He spent four seasons with them and recorded 2,593 yards on 213 receptions and 11 touchdowns.
In March 2024, the wide receiver joined the Atlanta Falcons on a three-year deal worth $39 million. Mooney recorded 443 receiving yards with just one touchdown while his team finished third in the NFC South with an 8-9 record. The Falcons decided to release him on Monday.
Darnell Mooney is not the only signing for the Giants this offseason
Since leaving Baltimore and joining New York, John Harbaugh has been busy revamping the roster to become a championship contender this upcoming season.
Last week, he managed to poach Isaiah Likely from his former team. The tight end finalized a four-year deal worth $40 million with his new team.
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Last season, Likely missed the first three games after surgery to repair a broken foot bone. In December, the Ravens gave three-time Pro Bowl tight end Mark Andrews a three-year, $39.2 million extension. Isaiah Likely was projected to leave the team following this deal.
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola refused to throw in the towel in the title race but admitted “it’s complicated” after falling further off the pace.
City’s hopes of regaining their Premier League crown were left in tatters after a 1-1 draw at relegation-threatened West Ham left them nine points behind leaders Arsenal.
Just three days after their Champions League dreams were shattered by a 3-0 defeat at Real Madrid, a second part of what until not long ago was a potential quadruple also went up in smoke.
It was a former Gunners player, Konstantinos Mavropanos, who did the damage with West Ham’s equaliser after Bernardo Silva had given City the lead.
Guardiola had previously admitted the title race would be “over” if his side dropped points, while just 20 minutes before kick-off at the London Stadium Arsenal had snatched two late goals to beat Everton.
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City still have a game in hand as well as a visit from Arsenal later in the season, but this was another costly draw after they were held by Nottingham Forest 10 days ago,
Guardiola said: “It’s complicated. We win against Nottingham, it depends on us, now it depends on them.
“But we have one game in hand, we have Arsenal at home – I’m not saying it will be easy to beat them – but at home I’m always positive.
“When it’s not possible, after I don’t know, half an hour, an hour, because they have to celebrate, I’ll call Mikel (Arteta) and congratulate him.
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“But since this is going to happen, we want to be there because, of course, we have a lot of things to do.”
Erling Haaland misfired badly again and has now scored just three times in 12 Premier League matches.
Nevertheless, City took the lead in the 31st minute when Antoine Semenyo and Omar Marmoush fed Silva down the left.
The Portugal playmaker appeared to be attempting to loft the ball towards Haaland, but instead his miscued cross turned into a superb, delicate chip over stunned Hammers goalkeeper Mads Hermansen.
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However, the lead lasted just four minutes before Jarrod Bowen swung in West Ham’s first corner of the match.
City keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma came out to punch the ball clear but missed it completely, leaving Mavropanos with a free header.
Guardiola was watching from the directors’ box as he served a touchline ban for the booking he received at Newcastle in the FA Cup last weekend.
He quipped: “I saw it in my perfect position today. I confirm right now that I will be more aggressive for the referees, to get more yellow cards, to go more often in the stands.
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“The position is much better. So, Howard Webb, educate your referees that I’m coming.”
It was also a big night at the other end of the pitch, with a point lifting West Ham out of the relegation zone for the first time since December.
“There was no other way,” said boss Nuno Espirito Santo. “You have to recognise the quality of your opponent and defend.
“We defended higher and better. We didn’t allow too many situations for City to break us down. It was a very good defensive performance. It was heroic from our boys.”
A Minnesota Vikings helmet is shown on the sideline during an NFC wild card matchup on Jan 13, 2025 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. The detailed view highlighted the team’s colors and logo as Minnesota took the playoff stage in a high-stakes contest. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images.
Once upon a time, Vikings draft pick Kene Nwangwu was inspiring fear in the other team’s kickoff cover unit. He even climbed up to being an All Pro as a sophomore, earning a spot on the second team back in 2022.
Fast forward a few years and he’s no longer employed by the Minnesota Vikings. Instead, the assignment is to chew up yards in a hurry while returning kickoffs as a New York Jet. Recently, he agreed to a new deal to keep doing so. Tom Pelissero of The NFL Network with the news: “The Jets are re-signing RB/RS Kene Nwangwu on a one-year, $2 million deal, per source. He gets $1 million guaranteed and can earn up to $3M with incentives.”
Vikings Draft Pick Showing Off Speed as a Jet
Matt Daniels does a nice job as Minnesota’s special teams coordinator.
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A major part of the issue is that when he first took over, the NFL had largely neutered kickoff returns. Doing so took away the main aspect of what made Nwangwu valuable to a team. The emphasis shifted toward becoming more dangerous on punt return, an aspect of specials where the former Viking doesn’t shine in the same way as kickoff. In the end, Minnesota moved on.
Nov 24, 2022; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings running back Kene Nwangwu and special teams. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports.
Standing at 6’1″ and 210 pounds, Mr. Nwangwu isn’t the world’s most imposing football player. He is, nevertheless, among the fastest. His RAS Score came in at 9.88, in no small part due to his sensational 4.32 forty. That’s scary fast, even in an NFL that boasts a pile of very fast players.
Getting him to the Twin Cities meant using the No. 119 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. Using a 4th on a returner isn’t cheap, but he’s a uniquely-dangerous special teams player. He never was able to translate the speed to offense (as was the hope), but he has always been a menace on specials.
In fact, Kene Nwangwu had a pair of touchdowns as a rookie while averaging a tremendous 32.2 yards per kickoff return. As an encore, Nwangwu had a touchdown in 2022 while averaging 26.3 yards per return.
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A quieter 2023 led to Minnesota moving on. Over these past two seasons, Nwangwu has played with the Jets, rewarding the team with some excellent returns. Most notable are the pair of touchdowns he has scored on special teams, but the averages for yards have been very explosive.
Oct 2, 2022; London, United Kingdom; Minnesota Vikings running back Kene Nwangwu (26) during the NFL International Series game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter van den Berg-USA TODAY Sports.
The Vikings’ special teams have been largely unchanged from last year, apart from the departure of punter Ryan Wright. Coming back are All Pro talents in kicker Will Reichard and long snapper Andrew DePaola. Ace coverage player Tavierre Thomas landed a new deal, too.
Meanwhile, Myles Price is locking down the returner jobs. Ironically, Price is an excellent option when returning punts but not quite so dangerous when it comes to kickoffs. The Vikings, in other words, could use a talent like Kene Nwangwu.
Lately, the Jets have been a team that has housed a lot of former Vikings players. Defensive tackle Harrison Phillips, corner Nahshon Wright, and linebacker Kobe King are all earning their living over there.
Aaron Glenn, the former defensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions, will look to put together a more promising 2026 season after struggling in his debut year as New York’s lead coach. Seeing Nwangwu pull off some more magic in kickoff return would certainly help.
The road to the 2026 Kentucky Derby is in full swing, which means it’s the perfect time to find value in the 2026 Kentucky Derby futures since the odds will shift. The 152nd Kentucky Derby will run at Churchill Downs in Louisville on Saturday, May 2. Paladin is the 9-1 favorite in the 2026 Kentucky Derby odds. Other 2026 Kentucky Derby contenders include Nearly (10-1) and Canaletto (15-1). Before making any 2026 Kentucky Derby picks, be sure to see the horse racing predictions and futures bets from SportsLine’s elite horse racing expert Jody Demling.
A fixture in the horse racing world who has been writing about, talking about and betting on races for years, Demling has nailed the Kentucky Oaks-Derby double 12 times in the last 17 years. He also predicted the top three 2025 Kentucky Derby finishers in the correct order and called the exacta in last year’s Preakness. Anyone who has followed him on horse racing betting sites could be way up.
Now, with the 2026 Kentucky Derby approaching and horse racing futures odds on the board, Demling is sharing his 2026 Kentucky Derby betting picks and 2026 Kentucky Derby predictions over at SportsLine. Go here to see them.
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Top 2026 Kentucky Derby predictions
One of Demling’s surprising 2026 Kentucky Derby picks: He doesn’t have the favorite, Paladin (9-1), winning. Of the horse, Demling says he “has the looks of a superstar in the making.” An impressive debut at Gulfstream Park burst Canaletto onto the scene when he claimed first place back in late January. He then competed in the Tampa Bay Derby in early March, finishing in third place but posting a speed figure (109) on par with the runner-up and just below the 110 by the winner.
Demling also notes Canaletto’s impressive pedigree in identifying him as a sleeper horse. Canaletto’s father was a G1 winner, as is his brother, Sandman, who won the Arkansas Derby last year. Add in that Canaletto is trained by Chad Brown, a five-time winner of Outstanding Trainer of the Year, and the colt is one that shouldn’t be overlooked with Kentucky Derby bets despite 15-1 odds. See who to back at SportsLine.
Another stunner: Demling is high on Canaletto, even though he’s a longshot at 15-1. Canaletto opened his career in January with a win at Gulfstream Park, beating Lost Money and Autobahn in a one-mile race. He stepped up in competition to the Tampa Bay Derby last week and came up a bit short, finishing third behind The Puma and Further Ado.
This article was originally published in a 2025 issue of GOLF Magazine.
WHAT’S YOUR BIGGEST WEAKNESS?
It’s my last question of the day for Ludvig Åberg and likely the least original. We’re sitting in the grill room in the clubhouse at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., home course of the PGA Tour and home to its most talented young star, who has recently relocated to Northeast Florida.
I’ve spent much of the day shadowing Åberg, the 25-year-old Swede and World No. 5, watching him hit balls and take photos, first for his clothing sponsor, Adidas, and then for GOLF, while peppering him with questions in between. We’re still weeks away from Åberg winning the biggest title of his young career, a statement, come-from-behind victory at this year’s Genesis Invitational that proved his competitive fire and calm under pressure. But now that our time together is running out, it occurs to me that I’m missing a key insight into Åberg, a requirement to make any character compelling: his flaw.
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Åberg can’t think of one.
I offer suggestions. Bad temper. Sweet tooth. Trash TV habit. “I mean, I think we all have weaknesses,” he says, charitably but unconvincingly. The rest of us, maybe, I counter. Then there’s a long, drawn-out silence.
It’s a credit to Åberg (pronounced Oh-berg) that he considers the question earnestly. He lingers so long in thought that I have time to gaze out the window, catch a glimpse of roof tile, come to the realization that this place—this red-domed, 80,000-square-foot Mediterranean-style behemoth of a clubhouse charging $800 green fees to play the island-green golf course—is the polar opposite of the minimalist golfing culture in which Åberg learned the game. But he’s adaptable. His game travels, from small-town Sweden to Lubbock to Augusta and beyond. That’s among his many strengths. As for a weakness?
“Yeah, that’s a great question,” he says.
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IF IT FEELS LIKE ÅBERG IS STILL NEW on the scene, that’s because he is. Two years ago at this time, he was still a student at Texas Tech. Let’s get specific: In May 2023, he won the NCAA Norman Regional in his penultimate college start and just three months later won the Omega European Masters in just his second DP World Tour event as a pro. The DP win doubled as audition; the very next week he was selected for the European Ryder Cup team, a bold but inspired choice by captain Luke Donald. It would mark the first time someone had suited up for a Ryder Cup before he’d competed in a major.
“I think he’s a generational player,” Donald explained at the time. “If he wasn’t going to play this one, he was going to play the next eight Ryder Cups. That’s how good I think he is.”
That Ryder Cup week at Marco Simone, just outside of Rome, was Åberg’s introduction to a curious golfing public. Who was this six-foot-three Swede with the athletic move and air of mystery? He hit it far. He hit it close. And he didn’t say any more than he had to. Most of the American team had never seen him play, never mind tried to beat him, but on Saturday morning he delivered a performance to remember. Åberg and Viktor Hovland were put up against the American A-squad of Scottie Scheffler and Brooks Koepka. Less than two hours later, the Team U.S.A. stars walked off the course bewildered, having been handed a 9-and-7 beatdown, the widest margin in Ryder Cup history.
“Ludvig’s a stud,” said Hovland. “He doesn’t miss a shot.”
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Åberg headed stateside after a victorious Ryder Cup debut and stayed hot through the end of the 2023 PGA Tour season. He finished T2 in Mississippi, T13 in Vegas and T10 in Mexico before winning the final event on the schedule, the RSM Classic, with a preposterous 61-61 weekend. It was a fitting capstone to a wild debut. “I still pinch myself in the morning when I wake up to realize that this is what I do for a job,” Åberg said at the post-tournament presser. “It’s been so much fun.”
He started 2024 where he’d left off: top 10 at Torrey Pines, runner-up at Pebble, top 10 at the Players. By the time Åberg arrived at the Masters, a course hostile to first-timers, there were only 10 players in the field with shorter odds. By week’s end? He’d beaten everybody except Scheffler. It was the best result by a Masters rookie since 1979. And it left the golf world with two questions: Who is this guy and where did he come from?
Ludvig Åberg at TPC Sawgrass.
Chris McEniry
Chris McEniry
BACK AT SAWGRASS, Åberg says that it’s impossible to tackle the first question without answering the second. The where and the who are intertwined. He’s the product of a specific system, of a specific coach, of a specific school and school of thought—even if it seems counterintuitive that one of the best golfers in the world grew up in a cold-weather country.
“Don’t go in the winter,” he warns, when asked to describe his native Sweden. “It’s cold. It’s dark. Nobody wants to leave their house.”
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But in the summer? Here, Åberg sounds ready to join the tourism bureau.
“It’s a beautiful country,” he says. “It doesn’t get too hot, like certain parts of America. It’s just so nice. We have daylight ’til midnight, and everyone’s barbecuing and hanging outside. And because there’s only a few weeks a year where it’s actually nice outside, everyone takes full advantage.”
Åberg was born on Halloween in 1999 in Eslov, a town of 20,000 in southeast Sweden, which he describes with a loving shrug—when he was a kid, it was voted the most boring city in Sweden. No matter—it had plenty of room for handball and soccer, and it was home to Eslovs Golfklubb, where his dad teed it up and eventually Ludvig did too.
He describes Swedes as pleasant if standoffish. “They’re very nice, very kind, but they’re also very private. You wouldn’t see people just, like, randomly talking on a bus.”
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Is he that way? “Deep down I am,” he says. “But I’ve gotten a little less that way as the years pass.”
Still, he found community in a golf culture he describes as open, accessible and rather un-American. “I think we have one private club in all of Sweden,” he says. “Golf is a lot cheaper than it is [in the U.S.], so there’s a lot more availability. You don’t necessarily have to belong to a club; you can show up with your friends and pay and still go play. There’s a culture of playing and of walking. We don’t really do carts at all. And I’d say, in general, there’s less of a drinking culture in Sweden. Over here, it’s a lot more cocktails while you play.”
Everything in moderation. That’s a theme.
Åberg’s father, Johan, who sells parts for construction vehicles, was the family’s resident golf nut, but his mother, Mia, a paralegal, spotted her son’s talent and drive early on. When other six- and seven-year-olds were goofing off at early clinics, Ludvig was focused on the task at hand. But, in the years that followed, no one in his life turned any one dial too far.
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He played several other sports; soccer was his favorite. But he loved golf and got good at it. To their credit, he says, Sweden’s high school golf academies view multisport athletes favorably.
“You [develop] more coordination from multiple sports,” Åberg says. “Also, there’s the team aspect. When you’re 10, being in a locker room after you’ve lost is a pretty big lesson to learn.”
That partly explains how a tall, lanky, athletic, teenage Åberg was accepted at Filbornaskolan, a sports academy and boarding school in the coastal city of Helsingborg. And that, he says, is when everything began to change.
Ludvig Åberg at TPC Sawgrass.
Chris McEniry
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THE WEEK BEFORE ÅBERG MADE his Ryder Cup debut, five other Swedes represented Team Europe at the Solheim Cup. Åberg knew the two highest-ranked players, Maja Stark and Linn Grant, well. They were in his eight-person class at Filbornaskolan. That’s right—three of the eight, future PGA and LPGA tour stars.
How is that possible? Hans Larsson is the man to ask. He’s been coaching golf at the school for more than two decades and oversees a program that has produced more than its share of pros. The school is selective across the board; in the golf program, a typical year will feature eight total players, four male and four female, chosen from close to 100 applicants. What makes the staff ’s approach different, Larsson says, is its big-picture approach. That’s why Åberg calls Larsson a “performance coach” rather than a swing coach. And that’s why, nearly a decade after they first met, Larsson remains his close confidant.
“We’re not just telling them, ‘This is what you should do,’ ” Larsson, phoning from Sweden, says of his students. “We’re obsessed with ‘This is why you should do it.’ I think that relates to all parts of life: nutrition, training, body movement, golf skills.” By Åberg’s recall, their program “didn’t really do high school tournaments.” That’s unthinkable to the American sporting mind; we crown national champions from age six, and the very idea of competitive junior golf conjures images of stressed-out teens grinding for life-or-death pars. But despite running an elite golf program, Larsson’s focus is rarely on cutthroat competition.
“Our kids compete at an early age,” he says, “but we try to focus on what you can learn through competing rather than just the lowest score. The Swedish system, both at our school and on the national team, is quite focused on educating and getting the players a base of knowledge in order to perform at the next level.”
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Larsson has seen enough cautionary tales to fear the alternative. Kids who specialize early do get results early, he says—but then they often burn out faster, quit earlier, get injured more frequently or hit a ceiling.
“I would never tell them to stop playing another sport they love [to focus on] only golf, because I don’t think that’s good in any way,” he says. “I think it’s good [that they] do a lot of different things to prepare their mind and body. That’s better for your system in the long run, even if you don’t get the results as early.”
When Åberg arrived on campus at Filbornaskolan, his talent stood out. He just wasn’t particularly keen on practice. It’s not that he was anti-practice. He just didn’t really know how. But once Larsson pointed him in the correct direction, the train left the station full steam ahead. Turns out that Åberg had a superpower, and it wasn’t his swing speed. It was his ability to absorb information and commit wholeheartedly to a plan of action.
“We did this impact drill,” Larsson recalls, “and for the next two years, every time he hit a shot he did that drill. His current backswing drill he has done for four years, every swing. The things he does he has committed to over time. A lot of kids would try something, they’d go play, they might not play well and then they’d abandon that exercise. If there’s good reason to believe in it, Ludvig sticks to it.”
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Åberg makes it sound like a natural progression. Once Larsson taught him how to practice, he implemented the regimen the way a computer might install a software update.
“I think I’ve always been disciplined,” he says. “I just didn’t know any better. And obviously that made me quite a bit better pretty quickly.”
Ludvig Åberg at TPC Sawgrass.
Chris McEniry
ONE WORD COMES UP AGAIN AND AGAIN as Åberg explains his approach: simple. Sometimes simple is Åberg obsessing over his fundamentals: the ball position, the grip, the setup. His swing hasn’t changed much in the decade he’s worked with Larsson. But mastering the little stuff goes a long way. When something is off, it’s usually a little thing. A simple thing.
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Sometimes simple is Åberg describing things that, to mere mortals, are not simple at all. How does he go from hitting a baby fade to hitting one dead straight? “I like to keep it very simple, so it’s all just tweaks in my setup,” he says.
Other things become simple because Åberg takes action; he simplifies things for his future self. For instance, he and his caddie, Joe Skovron, meet two hours before every tee time to go over pin locations, wind and strategy.
“It just simplifies things,” Åberg says, “because when we do get to the golf course, it’s like, ‘No, this is what we said we were going to do.’ It takes away all these emotional decisions you make during a round.” Still sitting in the Sawgrass clubhouse, he gestures in the direction of Pete Dye’s Stadium Course.
“I know when I get to 12, I’m going to hit driver and I’m going to go for it,” he says, “and that just makes things easier, instead of standing on the tee box like, ‘Should I hit 4-iron?’”
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In Åberg’s syntax, simple is synonymous with the clearest course of action. It makes the thinking the rest of us do look messy by comparison. Åberg’s swing looks simple too. That doesn’t mean you could easily adopt either as your own.
“No matter what I do today, I’m going to do the same thing tomorrow,” he says. “So, no matter if I win or I don’t win today, I’m still going to go out tomorrow and do the same thing.”
Einstein famously said that the definition of genius is taking the complex and making it simple—and he’d never even seen Ludvig Åberg hit a long iron.
THE EASY WAY OUT IS TO DISMISS ÅBERG as some kind of robotic cyborg. Some of his peers already have. But spend time with him on the range and you’ll see a creative mind at work, not a bot. He speaks with reverence about the nine-window drill he and Larsson have fine-tuned for years, a drill that requires hitting literally every kind of shot—with every club.
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“I’ve been doing it with a 7-wood lately,” he says.
How do you even hit a low 7-wood? “Exactly,” he says, flashing his increasingly familiar, subtle grin.
Åberg still prefers playing to practicing, but at every step of the journey he has chosen to love the process. The thing he loves most about the game?
“That’s a massive question,” he says, before delivering his most expansive answer of the day.
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“It’s so simple, but it’s so hard. It’s logical, but it’s hard. And you’re never going to be finished. You’re never going to figure it out. You can think you are, and maybe you think you’ve come a long way, but there’s so much more to learn. There’s always a better score out there, or a better shot. And trying to figure that out is what excites me. On a good day, you can come out to practice and there’s just so much you can do, y’know? It’s never, ‘Oh, I’m done with that.’ That’s what excites me.”
Given his penchant for strategic thinking, his low-key but unmistakable romanticism about the game and last year’s runner-up finish at the Masters, it’s no surprise that, as Åberg stares down his 2025 season, Georgia is on his mind. After all, beneath its luminously green exterior, Augusta National has a throwback minimalism at its core. The place is simple done right.
“There’s a lot of differences between Augusta and a normal tournament, but one thing is just so simple: the scoreboards,” Åberg says, referring to ANGC’s iconic, manually operated leaderboards. He remembers walking down No. 10 last year, when, in a dramatic moment in the final round, the leader- board changed, sending the gallery of patrons into a frenzy.
“I thought that was the coolest thing,” he says. “Nobody’s on their phone [getting] updated. It’s almost like you’re traveling back in time.”
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AT LONG LAST, ÅBERG COMES UP WITH A FLAW.
“I used to be really poor at time management,” he says. “Double-booked every day, supposed to be in three places at the same time. I think I’ve gotten to practice that a lot more.”
Is it really a flaw if he’s already figured it out? Probably not, but at least it’s something. Besides, it’s a skill he’ll need to keep perfecting, like his setup or shot shapes of his 7-wood.
The messy, complex world is only going to want more of Ludvig Åberg.
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Dylan Dethier welcomes your comments at dylan_dethier@golf.com.
Emerging star jockey Braith Nock landed the most impressive success to date in his career aboard Cristal Clear in the Group 2 Ajax Stakes.
Cristal Clear’s trainer Rob Archibald stated the gelding will bypass other races and target the Doncaster Mile directly, over Royal Randwick’s celebrated mile on April 4, the opening day of The Championships.
Cristal Clear gets 50kg in the Doncaster Mile and benefits from ballot exemption plus no penalty due to the Ajax Stakes triumph.
“The Doncaster is our aim this preparation, we thought we might have to go through the Doncaster Prelude,” Archibald said. “But full credit to Braith (Nock) and our team at home, they’ve presented him in really good order today.
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“I thought Braith rode him perfectly first-up. We said ‘just have him where he’s happy and see where he’s at’ and he was excellent.”
At odds of $5.50, Cristal Clear withstood a strong finish from $26 shot Robusto to triumph by a head, with favourite Enxuto ($3.60) trailing by half a length in third position.
Archibald, partnered with wife Annabel in training, was taken aback to hear he had supplied Nock with his first stakes victory.
“I didn’t even know that,” Archibald said. “We’ve had a really good association with Braith and Group One Thoroughbreds who have been so loyal to us and given us some good opportunities.
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“Cristal Clear has obviously come back a bit better again and he just keeps stepping up each preparation.”
The title-holding Sydney apprentice Nock was overwhelmed after securing the Group 2 Ajax Stakes.
“I’ve been knocked off in a Group 3 before but I’ve managed to get this one today so it’s really good,” Nock said.
“The Archibalds have been nothing but supportive of me, and this horse especially, we’ve been through the grades together.
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“He’s just so relaxed, he’s acting like he’s had five runs in the prep. He’s just an ultimate professional.
“It feels like we’re going slow but he’s got that big stride. I think he’s just a good horse with a good attitude.”
Cristal Clear built excitement last spring with three consecutive victories highlighted by the Dubbo Gold Cup win, then posted brave sixths in both the Golden Eagle and Big Dance.
That said, trainer Archibald is convinced the four-year-old has progressed even more upon his autumn return, priming him for a shot at the Ajax Stakes-Doncaster Mile double like It’s Somewhat (2017), Grand Armee (2003), Vite Cheval (1984) and Tontonan (1974).
Manchester City player ratings from the Manchester Evening News for the 1-1 draw at West Ham in the Premier League
Manchester City’s difficult March continued as they were held to a 1-1 draw with West Ham. The Blues are now nine points behind Premier League leaders Arsenal with a game in hand and have managed just one win from their last four matches in all competitions.
Bernardo Silva looked to have given City the advantage they needed, chipping Mads Hermansen with an effort that looked more accident than design. That built on a solid first 30 minutes for the Blues, but they immediately threw away their lead with some poor defending from a corner.
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Erling Haaland went close and substitute Tijjani Reijnders hit the bar as City looked for a winner but they were unable to find one and must count the cost of two more points dropped. Here are the player ratings from the Manchester Evening News.
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Donnarumma: A horrible error to gift West Ham a way back into the game. Not much else to do but recovered. 5
Nunes: Composed in defence and offered an attacking threat down that right side. 7
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Khusanov: Mopped up anything that Bowen or Taty tried in attack to keep City in control at all times. 7
Guehi: Mostly positive, especially building from the back, yet there were a few defensive lapses that put City in trouble. 6
Ait-Nouri: Looked good again, getting the better of his battle with Wan-Bissaka and giving nothing up. 7
Rodri: Pretty masterful in the first half, even if he again seemed to find the second half more of a struggle. 7
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Silva: An inspired finish and he led by example with Rodri in midfield, doing what was asked of him. 7
O’Reilly: Everywhere in midfield, constantly getting the ball and pushing City onto the front foot. 7
Semenyo: Saw plenty of the ball but couldn’t do what he wanted to with it, seemingly happier to run onto the ball rather than have it at his feet. 5
Marmoush: Didn’t offer enough, straying offside a number of times to halt promising moves and end any goal threat. 4
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Haaland: Had very little involvement again and missed one chance that he should have snaffled, although he did go close once. 5
Substitutes
Cherki (for Marmoush, 60) Gave City something fresh. 7
Augsburg’s Keven Schlotterbeck has crossed paths with his little brother Nico plenty of times in the Bundesliga before. A scene just prior to kickoff during Saturday afternoon’s Bundesliga showdown against Borussia Dortmund still had a unique feel. Keven – now working as Augsburg captain in Jeffrey Gouweleeuw’s absence – had to square off against Nico during the pre-match coin toss.
While Keven has emerged as Augsburg’s new leader, Nico has also been donning the captain’s armband for Dortmund with Emré Can out. The two siblings have obviously had radically different career trajectories since their days at the SC Freiburg academy. Nico matured into a blockbuster Borussia Dortmund transfer, a €55m-valued player, and a 23-times-capped German international.
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Keven – despite remaining a German fan favorite who has even managed to out-score his younger brother in two of the last three Bundesliga seasons – remains a €6m-valued centre-back who has only represented Germany at Olympic Level thus far. Keven has always focused on delivering gritty play during his Bundesliga stints with relegation fighting teams like Union Berlin, Bochum, and Augsburg.
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As usual, Keven showed no inkling of jealousy when speaking of Nico.
Keven Schlotterbeck on facing Nico at center circle
“It was defensively something special,” Keven said when asked about the feeling of meeting Nico in front of a packed house of 81,365 fans at Signal Iduna Park in the mixed zone “Of course, these are the sorts of things that one dreams about as a kid.
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“During the 90 minutes, you don’t really think about it, even though you naturally catch glimpses of your brother out of the corner of your eye,” Keven continued. I’m still so proud of him for what he has achieved in recent years and is currently achieving.
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“You can see he’s a top centre back,” Keven concluded. “One of the best in Germany. One of the best in the world, in my opinion.“
Leaders Bayern Munich held on for a 1-1 draw at Bayer Leverkusen despite finishing with nine men in an eventful Bundesliga clash on Saturday. Second-placed Borussia Dortmund’s comfortable home win at Augsburg drew them nine points behind reigning champions Bayern with eight games to play. Aleix Garcia’s goal gave Leverkusen the lead and Bayern striker Nicolas Jackson saw red before half-time. Luis Diaz levelled things up but picked up a second yellow card for diving in the box.
Bayern held firm to grab a point, even as Leverkusen had two efforts chalked off in stoppage time.
Bayern also had strikes from Jonathan Tah and substitute Harry Kane ruled out by VAR for handball in a sometimes manic match at the BayArena.
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“It was a poor performance from the referee,” Bayern coach Vincent Kompany told DAZN.
“Why he (Diaz) gets a red card, nobody in the stadium knows anymore, it’s insane…
“Someone needs to explain to me why that’s a yellow card at that stage of the game.
“It’s a huge blow and he’ll be out for the next game.”
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Garcia finished off a fluid team move to put Leverkusen ahead six minutes in, the Spain midfielder collecting a Patrik Schick pass and chipping the ball over third-choice Bayern goalkeeper Sven Ulreich, playing with Manuel Neuer and Jonas Urbig out injured.
Former Leverkusen centre-back Tah looked to have levelled things up midway through the first half when he found the net from a corner, but VAR intervened.
Bayern’s hopes took a further hit when Jackson saw red for sinking his studs into Martin Terrier’s ankle just before the break.
With 30 minutes left, Bayern brought Kane on as a substitute after his recent absence with a calf knock and the England captain thought he had scored just 47 seconds later, but again VAR spotted a handball.
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Diaz finally grabbed Bayern a leveller when he guided a pin-point Michael Olise pass in with 69 minutes gone.
Chasing a winner, the Colombian went down in the box under light contact from Leverkusen ‘keeper Janis Blaswich and was shown a second yellow for diving.
Down to nine men for the first time since 2001, Bayern dug deep despite their numerical disadvantage in the dying stages to cling on for a point.
– Dortmund inch closer –
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Dortmund moved two points closer to Bayern with Karim Adeyemi and Luca Reggiani both getting on the scoresheet in a 2-0 home win over Augsburg.
“We really enjoyed it today. We controlled the game,” Dortmund’s Felix Nmecha told DAZN.
Adeyemi gave Dortmund the lead in the 13th minute, turning in a Maximilian Beier pass from close range.
Stodgy and uninspired in beating a 10-man Cologne last week, Dortmund showed fluency in attack, although Adeyemi and Beier took turns in hitting the crossbar before the break as Augsburg stayed in the game.
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But just before the hour mark, 18-year-old centre-back Reggiani headed in a Julian Ryerson corner for his first Bundesliga goal.
The victory took Dortmund to 58 points, one more than their final total last season.
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