Ludvig Aberg completely melts down in Players Championship back nine debacle

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla.— Ludvig Åberg had one hand on the Players Championship trophy Sunday at TPC Sawgrass.But the 26-year-old Swede, who exudes cool, calm and collected seemingly 24-7, strayed from cool on the back nine in the final round and completely melted down.

He spit up a lead that began the day at three shots and played his way out of contention — finding the water on 11 and 12 — as eventual winner Cameron Young and runner-up Matt Fitzpatrick took control of the tournament.Åberg, who began the day at 13-under par, shot a 4-over 76 to finish in a tie for fifth at 9-under.“Obviously really disappointed,’’ Åberg said afterward.“Obviously, today the back nine was not good, but that’s the way it goes sometimes.

It got away from me quick there.It was just poor swings.’’ After his round on Saturday Åberg said he was going to embrace thinking about winning, and he also said he expected to feel nervous.“You’re always going to feel nerves,’’ he said.

“I definitely felt nerves this morning, I felt nerves yesterday and I felt nerves on Thursday and Friday as well.’’Rory McIlroy’s Players Championship title defense was a dud.He began very much in question because of a back injury he suffered the previous week at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.McIlroy, ranked No.

2 in the world and the defending Players and Masters champion, was forced to withdraw from the API at Bay Hill right before his third round last Saturday.He spent the following four days at home resting and rehabbing and didn’t arrive to TPC Sawgrass for the Players until Wednesday afternoon.His play somewhat resembled that of a player who didn’t play a practice round as he closed out the week at even-par after shooting a 1-under-par 71 on Sunday.Now the question, given his mediocre week results-wise, is whether McIlroy adds another tournament to his schedule before Augusta.

This week was planned to be his final tournament tuneup before defending his Masters ti...