With Players Championship Collapse in Rearview, Ludvig Åberg in Valero Texas Open Mix

There’s a popular line from the hit Apple TV sitcom Ted Lasso, “Be a goldfish.”

Why is that? Because goldfish only have a 10-second memory.

Therefore, Ludvig Åberg is trying to emulate the mind of those creatures at the Valero Texas Open.

It was three weeks ago at the Players Championship that the 26-year-old Swede was closing in on the biggest win of his career, until disaster struck. Leading by two strokes on TPC Sawgrass’ 11th hole, he carded a bogey and followed that up with a double, both times dumping shots in the water. Adding another bogey to his scorecard on the 15th, Åberg finished fifth.

But with that disappointment behind him, consecutive 67s at TPC San Antonio jumped Åberg to second on the leaderboard after 36 holes, four strokes back of Robert MacIntyre’s lead at 14 under par.

Åberg isn’t necessarily trying to avenge his Players Championship stumbles, though.

“No, no, [I don’t think about it] when I’m playing here,” the world No. 18 said. “I’ve had two weeks off, which has been quite nice, since the Players. I was able to kind of think about it, reflect on it, but also move on from it. I think that was the main thing for me, at least, kind of showing up here this week, that those things are behind me, they’re past me and my focus is here this week.”

The two-time Tour winner ranks second in the field in strokes-gained total, gaining 2.28 strokes off the tee (fourth in the field). And his highlight came on the par-4 6th, his 15th hole of the day, when Åberg holed an eagle.

HOOPS IT FROM 120 YARDS TO TIE THE LEAD ‼️

Ludvig Åberg is all smiles after that eagle.

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“I haven’t really hit my wedges that well this week so far,” Åberg said. “I’ve kind of overshot them a little bit too far. This one was 120 yards-ish, something like that, and I hit a sand wedge. I thought it was going to be a little bit long, but I haven’t seen, I guess it went in with some speed. Yeah, those are always going to be a bonus naturally, but pretty cool when they happen.”

Perhaps the key to his round, and MacIntyre’s, was that the two Ryder Cup teammates played alongside each other.

“We’re good friends, obviously, from the Ryder Cup and stuff,” MacIntyre, of Scotland, said after a second-round 64. “We get on really well. It’s good to play with good players and you can kind of build in a round. It was good to see him play well, and obviously, myself.”

Both players will tee it up in the Masters next week, but first, a weekend battle in the Lone Star State looms between the two.

And MacIntyre is no stranger to heartbreak, either. He finished runner-up at last year’s U.S. Open and finished fourth at last month’s Players, three strokes back of the champion Cam Young, and one ahead of Åberg.

But this week, having the mind of a goldfish has served them well.