It is the smallest details that separate contenders from champions at Augusta National Golf Club. But sometimes, it is difficult even for champions to read the course as it is supposed to be. The 5x major champion, Tiger Woods, was struggling with a similar issue, and it was Jack Nicklaus who came to his rescue. The advice Golden Bear gave the 82x PGA Tour winner holds even after all these years, according to Ludvig Aberg.

On the Fore Play Podcast, the host asked Aberg, “Do you like I hear all these, you know, like I’ve heard Tiger talk about he sat down decades ago with Jack and told Jack like, “I just can’t figure out how to like make birdie on three and Jack being like, yeah, it’s not a birdie hole. You’re supposed to make par on three.”

To which, Ludvig Aberg replied almost immediately, saying, “I think so. I think there are certain shots and certain holes you just have to play a certain way, and if it happens, it happens. Like number five, number three. Five is a hard green, and three is that way too.”

“I mean, these days everyone’s probably going to bang driver, and it’s a little bit like tenant rift, where if you are in a good spot, then you can go for it, but if you’re not, just take your par and get out of there even though it’s the shortest hole on the course. But it’s cool to pull those shots off, too.”

Augusta’s 3rd is a 350-yard par-4 hole. It is named Flowering Peach and sits atop two ridges with four bunkers left. These bunkers were added per Nicklaus’ suggestions in the 1980s.

The best way to play it, according to many experts, is to include iron to the first ridge, aggressive drive left into the valley, or driver at the green’s narrow front shelf. The green of the hole tilts to the right, making chipping brutal. Historical scoring averages on the score are around 4.08, which is around par.

What’s intriguing here is that it is the shortest par-4 hole in the course. The closest to it is hole 14, which is 440 yards. Despite the short distance, it is hard to score a birdie on Hole 3 at Augusta National. The 15x major champion was also facing difficulty achieving that, even during his peak. However, as Jack Nicklaus advised and Ludvig Aberg backed, the smart thing to do there is to take a par score and move ahead.

That’s because the four fairway bunkers make it challenging to score a birdie.

“A second shot played either short or over leaves a very different pitch to be made, which almost always results in the loss of one stroke,” Bobby Jones, Co-Founder of Augusta National Golf Club, said.

Ludvig Aberg also noted that the same is true for Hole no. 5, which is another par-4 hole. The 495-yard hole, with a historical average of 4.26, is another hole where golfers should aim for par. And even Tiger Woods believes the same.

“Carry that crest that’s about 12 to 13 yards into the green, put the ball in the center, make your par and move on,” the 15x major champion said.

Both legends have emphasized that golfers should be happy with par on the 3rd and 5th holes. Ludvig Aberg understands these details, which is why he has seen success on the course.

Ludvig Aberg’s performances at Augusta National

The Swedish professional turned pro in 2023 and made his Masters debut in 2024. In both editions he played, Ludvig Aberg has seen success. Although he has not won a major yet, his finishes were strong.

In 2024, he finished 2nd on the leaderboard, only behind the winner Scottie Scheffler. He carded rounds of 73-69-70-69 to finish 7-under 281. The World No. 1 finished 11-under 277 to win the event. While Scheffler won with a comfortable lead, the 2x PGA Tour winner didn’t fail to impress. He was three strokes ahead of Tommy Fleetwood, Collin Morikawa, and Max Homa, who finished at T3.

Then, in 2025, he finished 7th on the leaderboard, again a strong finish. With rounds of 68-73-69-72, he scored 6-under 282. This time, it was Rory McIlroy who won the major to complete his career Grand Slam. Following him were Justin Rose, Patrick Reed, Scottie Scheffler, Sungjae Im, Bryson DeChambeau, and then Ludvig Aberg.

Ludvig Aberg’s consistent performances at Augusta National show how he truly understands the course. His results reinforce the same lesson Jack Nicklaus once shared with Tiger Woods. Sometimes, accepting par is what keeps golfers in contention.