Ludvig Aberg’s gastrointestinal revenge, Jessica Hadwin's hilarious Valentine's Day card and a harsh (financial) lesson to aspiring tour pros

Welcome to another edition of The Grind, where we have some devastating and BREAKING (personal) news to report: I have been diagnosed with a torn labrum in my left shoulder. Those of you getting a feeling of déjà vu are not alone, because it was at this exact time last year when I underwent surgery to repair a torn meniscus in my right knee. So apparently, this is a new tradition, and I am the most brittle man in the world. Sigh. Anyway, while my orthopedist and I assess my options (Don't worry, he's a big golfer so he "gets it"), here’s what else is happening in the world of golf.

WE’RE BUYING

Ludvig Aberg: We all should have seen his first signature victory coming. After all, it was only three weeks before when Ludvig held the 36-hole lead at Torrey Pines before puking it away. Literally, because he got very sick. But after getting healthy again—and getting an unusual mulligan with the PGA Tour returning to Torrey for the Genesis Invitational—Aberg was able to finish the job. And get a trophy from Tiger Woods! A guy who once won a tournament while throwing up during the final round! So these two had plenty to talk about.

Whether Montezuma’s Revenge was involved in Aberg’s illness or not, this will henceforth be known as Ludvig’s Revenge. I declared the 25-year-old Swede as the potential simulator golf GOAT earlier this year, but he’s still very good at playing the real thing. Especially when he can keep his food down.

Joaquin Niemann: Speaking of young stars, the Chilean won the LIV Adelaide event by three shots for his third career title on the Saudi-backed tour to go with his two PGA Tour titles and an Australian Open win. Although if he keeps winning in Australia and having to do "Shoeys," he might get sick like Ludvig.

It’s a terrific résumé—if you don’t include the major championships as our Chris Powers pointed out—for someone who is still only 26. And as Skratch’s Dan Rapaport noted, the dude is BANKING:

Anyway, don’t forget about this guy. Again, he’s only one year older than Ludvig.

TGL’s Big Monday: OK, back to Ludvig. After his big win in San Diego, the guy flew cross country and teed it up in two TGL matches at the SoFi Center on Monday, part of the new league’s tripleheader. And it was … awesome? We complained about non-competitive matches the first few weeks, but all three of these came down to the wire, including Aberg’s The Bay Golf Club winning the nightcap on Wyndham Clark’s walk-off eagle:

The Warriors dynasty may be fading, but the San Francisco area may have another budding dynasty on its hands as The Bay Golf Club improved to a perfect 3-0 record. More importantly for TGL, it seems to be finding its groove. And the new HAMMER rule helps as well.

WE’RE SELLING

Playing Through’s timing: Depending on your point of view, NBC Sports’ Playing Through is either a way to show more golf action or more commercials. In any event, it’s a bit of a letdown when something important happens and the action is muted. But showing a Rory McIlroy chip-in without actually showing Rory’s golf ball going in is quite something:

Speaking of bad timing …

Missing a hole-in-one: That’s what happened to one LIV fan stationed at the Water Hole in Adelaide. First, here’s the electric Patrick Reed ace:

Pretty cool. And here’s the fan, who was in the bathroom at the time and only heard the eruption:

That sucks, but Reed was in one of the first groups of the day so this guy had no excuse to not time his bathroom trips better. Anyway, it reminds me of my buddy Eric once missing his dad making a hole-in-one because he had forgotten a club on the previous hole and had to go back. Again, that sucks. But again, he had no one to blame but himself.

Charley Hull’s training thoughts: We’re big Charley Hull fans, even if we do NOT condone smoking on the course (or anywhere for that matter). But I also can’t endorse her belief that “Golf training is a load of rubbish.” Take it away, Charley:

I can safely say golf training is not a load of rubbish. And that the only time I did any extended amount of it—with an actual trainer (Shout-out to Tyler Campbell and my guys at the Golf Performance Center!)—I slashed my handicap in half. Anyway, good luck on your races, Charley, but I’m going to agree to disagree on this one.

ON TAP

The PGA Tour season rolls on with the Mexico Open, AKA that national Open they play in Mexico, AKA that one Jake Knapp won last year. The LPGA begins its Asian Swing with the Honda LPGA Thailand and the DP World Tour resumes with the MAGICAL Kenya Open, which remains the best tournament name in all of golf.

Random tournament fact: Aaron Rai won the Kenya Open back in 2017, but that was when it was a Challenge Tour event and not part of the DP World Tour schedule. And that was before the event was MAGICAL, so bad timing by him.

RANDOM PROP BETS OF THE WEEK

—The Masters will ever allow “Playing Through”: 1 MILLION-to-1 odds

—Jake Knapp will successfully defend his title in Mexico: 40-to-1 odds (Actual odds)

—Winning $1.5 million for any of these guys would feel MAGICAL: LOCK

PHOTO/TWEET OF THE WEEK

VIRAL VIDEO OF THE WEEK (ON-COURSE DIVISION)

Well, “on course” as in setting your own course and flying to a golf tournament. That’s what Maverick McNealy, who earned his pilot’s license in 2023 and is putting that to good use:

That’s pretty badass. Of course, McNealy nearly won the tournament as well, which would have been even more badass. But despite the close call, somewhere, Arnold Palmer is smiling.

VIRAL VIDEO OF THE WEEK (OFF-COURSE DIVISION)

Introducing Alex Romo, a golf coach and former tour pro, teaching a little mini-tour 101 regarding how hard it is to make it as a competitive golfer:

The entire video is worth watching, but the most stunning part of the video is that in order to just break even for the week in the event he played in, you would have had to finish T-7 out of 117 golfers. And shoot three rounds at the equivalent of a plus-six handicap to do that. Yeah, it’s tough out there.

THIS WEEK IN CELEBRITY GOLFERS

After breaking rushing records and winning a Super Bowl, Saquon Barkley, a 15-handicapper, has set an even bigger challenge for himself this offseason:

And it looks like he’s going to get some help from Bryson DeChambeau:

All the best, Saquon. I’m sure you’ll get the job done because you’re not stuck on the Giants anymore.

THIS WEEK IN PUBLIC DISPLAYS OF AFFECTION (SPOUSE DIVISION)

Adam Hadwin found himself all the way at the bottom of the leaderboard at Torrey Pines on Thursday. Then he (probably) found these tweets of his wife, Jessica, teasing him:

Ouch. On Valentine’s Day eve, no less! But speaking of that holiday, Jessica also made her husband this hilarious card. And totally redeemed herself. We think.

Anyway, just the latest example of why she’s one of the best follows on Golf Twitter.

THIS WEEK IN PUBLIC DISPLAYS OF AFFECTION (FAST-FOOD DIVISION)

Like Rory McIlroy a couple weeks back, Ludvig Aberg decided to have In-N-Out Burger for his big victory meal. But this was an even bigger deal for Ludvig, who is a noted Chipotle-holic:

Hey, when in Rome, right? Guess his gastrointestinal system is feeling all better!

THIS WEEK IN PUBLIC DISPLAYS OF AFFECTION (GOLF NUT DIVISION)

I’ve mentioned John Minnium’s “Year in Review” before, but I finally talked in depth with him and wrote about his amazing annual pamphlet:

It’s truly a treat to get one of these delivered every year. (Now, fingers crossed that my bad shoulder doesn't cause me to only live vicariously through John's golf year in 2025.)

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“That’s not a new dance step he’s doing there, turning around, spinning around a couple times. That’s AimPoint.” —Jim Nantz. No one hates AimPoint more than Jim Nantz. And I love it.

THIS AND THAT

Scottie Scheffler finished third place despite a Saturday 76 and that whole hand surgery thing a couple months ago. Hope the rest of these guys enjoyed him not winning while it lasted! … Johnson Wagner showed he doesn’t just take on-air shots with a golf club, rebuking Rory McIlroy for his latest LIV-PGA Tour comments. This guy can do it all as an analyst! … Congrats(?) to Tommy Fleetwood on making the most difficult hole-in-one to categorize ever: a par 4 ace on a simulator in practice.

Yeah, that’s a tough one to make a ruling about. … And, finally, check out the ceramic Coke can my daughter made for me for Valentine’s Day:

Instantly one of my favorite pieces of art ever and most-prized possessions. I told you I might like soda more than Sepp Straka.

RANDOM QUESTIONS TO PONDER

How many PGA Tour titles will Ludvig win?

How many TGL titles will Ludvig win?

Why am I suddenly made of paper?