Ludvig Aberg, PGA TOUR University No. 1, three strokes off lead at Hero Dubai Desert Classic

Ludvig Aberg, the No. 1-ranked amateur in the world, is T7 at 5-under and three strokes off the lead after Friday’s second round was suspended due to darkness at the DP World Tour’s Hero Dubai Desert Classic.

Playing on a sponsor exemption as the No. 1 player in the PGA TOUR University Velocity Global Ranking, Aberg shared the lead after carding a 7-under 65 in the first round, which spanned two days due to inclement weather that delayed play Thursday. The Texas Tech senior played 25 holes on Friday, and he is 2-over through the first seven holes of his second round.

Aberg posted two collegiate victories last season, including the Big 12 Championship, and won the Ben Hogan Award as the nation’s best men’s college golfer. He moved to No. 1 in PGA TOUR University in September, and one week later he became the first player from Sweden to be ranked No. 1 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking.

At the end of the college golf season in late May, the No. 1 player in PGA TOUR University will earn PGA TOUR membership and will be exempt into approximately 14 tournaments, starting with the RBC Canadian Open the week after the NCAA Championship.

Also competing on a sponsor exemption this week is Stanford junior Michael Thorbjornsen, who is T40 after a 2-under 70 at Emirates Golf Club. Thorbjornsen finished fourth at the Travelers Championship last summer and he currently has 13 points in PGA TOUR University Accelerated, which offers PGA TOUR membership to college juniors, sophomores and freshmen who achieve elevated benchmarks in college, amateur and professional golf.