Young Star Ludvig Aberg to Make Ryder Cup Debut

It was just two years ago that the US thrashed the European squad in the Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits. The dominance by the Americans had people around the golf world questioning Europe’s ability to contend with the star power of the United States.

Young American players like Scottie Scheffler, Collin Morikawa, and Justin Thomas among many others, seemingly hadn’t even reached their primes. While Europeans Lee Westwood, Sergio Garcia and Ian Poulter, all legendary golfers, and key cogs in what was the machine of the European team were just going to get older.

Since then a lot has happened across the golf landscape. LIV golf started and with that, we have seen many stars leave the PGA Tour, and consequently, miss this year’s Ryder Cup.

This has given the Europeans a chance to start fresh in the Ryder Cup.

With McIlroy, Hovland, and Rahm, there is no doubt that the talent at the top of the team can compete. But the Americans are a deep and talented group, and it is no secret that the Europeans’ talent lessens as you go further down the roster.

The question weighing on the Europeans’ minds was, who would take up the last of the 12 spots on the team? The answer, 23-year-old Swede, Ludvig Aberg.

From 2019 until just this past spring, Aberg was a member of the golf team at Texas Tech University. He won a litany of awards as a Red Raider, including finding himself atop the inaugural PGA Tour University ranking for 2022-2023, granting him full tour membership.

Since finishing his time at Texas Tech, it has been a fast rise to professional golf relevancy for Aberg.

A top 5 finish on the DP World Tour to end August had people whispering about the possibility of Aberg’s selection. The following week, Aberg broke through, winning the Omega European Masters.

It was only one day after his first victory that it was announced that Aberg would be representing Team Europe at the Ryder Cup in Rome.

Many questions surround Captain Luke Donald’s selection of Aberg. With less than a full season of professional golf under his belt, he will become the first player ever to compete in the Ryder Cup without having played in a major championship.

Americans will be hoping that the lights are too bright for the budding star. While European fans will look on and hope that this is the start of Aberg’s journey as a backbone of the team.

While the Ryder Cup is unlike anything Aberg will have been a part of so far in his young career, everything that he has done shows that he should be just fine.

There is no better place than on home soil for a rookie to partake in their first Ryder Cup, however, Luke Donald and the rest of the team may look back and regret the pick if the inexperience comes back to haunt them.