One of the most compelling aspects of the Ryder Cup is that it showcases the top competitors in professional golf. It’s easily the most passionate event in the game, and sometimes, the players who thrive under the intense pressure of the Ryder Cup become the next stars of the game.
The Sunday singles matchups provide the best test under pressure for Ryder Cup players. They no longer have their teammates to rely on, and oftentimes, it’s a player’s last chance to add valuable points for their team.
This was true for Scottie Scheffler in 2021. As a captain’s pick, the then-25-year-old Team USA rookie challenged and eventually defeated then-world No. 1 Jon Rahm at Whistling Straits to help secure a 19-9 victory for Team USA. At the time, Scheffler was the No. 21 player in the world, and even though he had just won the PGA Tour Rookie of the Year for the 2019-2020 season, he was the clear underdog against a player who had been dominating the golf scene that year.
He started hot, with birdies on five of the first six holes, and he didn’t let up until he won in dominating fashion (4&3). After Team USA hoisted the Ryder Cup trophy, Scheffler went on to win multiple majors and eventually became the No. 1 player in the world. His performance against Rahm was undoubtedly his introduction to a long period of dominance on the PGA Tour.
Now, Scheffler is set to face someone on Team Europe on Sunday. The question is, does Team Europe have a young rising star that can challenge him at Bethpage Black?
Ludvig Åberg might be the best competitor for Scottie Scheffler
Much like Scheffler in 2021, Ludvig Åberg is widely considered to be a rising star in golf. He made his Ryder Cup debut at the ripe age of 23 in 2023 after winning the Omega European Masters on the DP World Tour. Funnily enough, he and Viktor Hovland dominated Scottie Scheffler and Brooks Koepka in a foursomes match.
In 2024, he was the runner-up in his first-ever major appearance at The Masters and had a strong finish (T12) at the U.S. Open.
Despite some ups and downs, Åberg has also experienced considerable success this year. He secured his second PGA Tour win at The Genesis Invitational in February and finished inside the top 10 at the Masters. He also had a strong showing at The Open (T23) and finished T21 at the Tour Championship.
For this year’s Ryder Cup, he was one of Luke Donald’s six captain’s picks. On Friday, he and Matt Fitzpatrick put on a show in the morning, beating Scheffler (again) and Russell Henley 5&3 in a foursomes match.
On Saturday, they didn’t face off in any team events, but Åberg and Fitzpatrick lost to Bryson DeChambeau and Cameron Young 4&2.
Scheffler didn’t have much success either. He and Russell Henley lost to Robert MacIntyre and Viktor Hovland 1 up. In the afternoon, Scheffler and DeChambeau lost to Tommy Fleetwood and Justin Rose 3&2.
While these matches are essential for Ryder Cup points, a player’s performance in a team event doesn’t always reflect their actual performance when they are playing by themselves. Scheffler remains the best player in the world, and Åberg continues to be a rising star in the professional golf world.
Even though they have only faced off in team events, Åberg has shown twice at the Ryder Cup that he can stand up to the No. 1 player in the world and win.
There are a lot of similarities between Scheffler in 2021 and Åberg this year in terms of their respective trajectories, age, world ranking, and star potential. If Åberg and Scheffler face off on Sunday, history could absolutely repeat itself.
But regardless of who Åberg faces up against, he has a chance to show the world that he’s the next big name in golf.