Ludvig Åberg Makes PGA Tour History With New Driver Rule Advantage
A cracked driver during a round used to be a nightmare for pro golfers. But thanks to a new rule introduced before the 2026 season, things have changed — and Ludvig Åberg became the first PGA Tour star to benefit from it.
During the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, Åberg cracked his driver on the 18th hole — his ninth hole of the third round. In the past, replacing a damaged driver meant calling officials and waiting for a backup club to be fetched from the locker room.
That’s what happened to Matt Fitzpatrick at the BMW Championship, where strict procedures made it difficult to swap equipment mid-round.
But under Model Local Rule G-9, players can now carry a backup driver in their bag — as long as officials confirm the original club is significantly damaged.
Åberg’s caddie, Joe Skovron, revealed they were prepared.
> “They sent out rules changes at the start of the year… Now you can carry it in the bag, and if your driver is deemed damaged, you could put that one in.”
Because of the new rule, Åberg didn’t lose time. He simply replaced the club and continued playing.
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Jordan Spieth Didn’t Have the Same Luck
Interestingly, Jordan Spieth faced a similar issue at the Hero World Challenge — but before the new rule existed.
Spieth cracked his driver but couldn’t convince officials it was damaged enough for replacement. Even if he had, the old rule required waiting for a backup from the locker room.
The result? He finished T19 at even par.
Åberg, on the other hand, smoothly handled the situation — even though he finished T37 at Pebble Beach.
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A Small Rule Change, Big Impact
This update may seem minor, but in professional golf — where rhythm and timing are everything — avoiding delays can make a huge difference.
For now, Åberg holds the unique record of being the first PGA Tour player to benefit from the new driver replacement rule.
And it shows how even small rule tweaks can quietly reshape the game.