Ludvig Åberg: Ryder Cup star continues amazing ascent 

By Mathieu Wood

For a player who only joined the professional ranks in June, it is hard to think of many in recent memory who have made quite the impression as Ludvig Åberg in such a small time frame.

Speaking ahead of the Genesis Scottish Open in July, the Swede outlined in an interview to the DP World Tour his goals over a three-year period: become a winner on both the DP World Tour and PGA TOUR, represent Team Europe at a Ryder Cup and become a top 10 player in the world.

In just six short months, Åberg has achieved three of them with a startling poise and belief that defies his inexperience.

On the back of his maiden PGA TOUR title at the RSM Classic on Sunday - the same day fellow European Ryder Cup rookie Nicolai Højgaard won the DP World Tour Championship - the 24-year-old has risen to a career-high 32nd in the Official World Golf Ranking.

Based on his current trajectory, it won't be long before he is realising the full set of his objectives in double quick time.

Only just into his fourth month in the paid ranks, the Swede was already being talked up as one of golf’s next big superstars before his impressive first professional victory at the Omega European Masters on the DP World Tour in September.

Against seasoned campaigners, with Major Champion Matt Fitzpatrick seeking to emulate Seve Ballesteros as a three-time winner of the event, Åberg emerged top of the pile.

That performance in the Swiss Alps, a week after he finished in a tie for fourth at the D+D REAL Czech Masters, on top of the splash he made in his first run of starts as a professional on the PGA TOUR gave Luke Donald the confidence to make him one of his six Ryder Cup Captain picks.

For many onlookers, talk of a possible Ryder Cup inclusion seemed premature but the early signs were that he possessed a game and technique that stood up to comparison to many of the best in the world.

When announcing his selections, Donald said he had been "blown away by his game" when the pair played together at the Rocket Mortgage Classic in Detroit in June.

“I really do have a lot of faith and belief in Ludvig," the former World Number One added.

"He is a generational player, he’s going to be around a long time and he’s going to do amazing things."

But, the question of how he would fare under the microscope of attention at a Ryder Cup remained.

Yet, when golf's greatest team contest came around a few weeks later at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club, the response left no doubt that Donald was correct to place his trust in Åberg.

Despite becoming the first player ever to play in a Ryder Cup before even teeing it up in a Major Championship, here was a man who appeared completely undaunted by the attention surrounding him and the global-stage spotlight of one of sport's greatest events.

Åberg, like many in the European ranks, shone bright in Italy.

He teamed up with fellow Scandinavian Viktor Hovland to go undefeated in foursomes, which included a record-setting 9&7 victory over World Number One Scottie Scheffler and five-time Major Champion Brooks Koepka as the hosts regained the trophy..

Amid the unquestionable talent he possesses, it is perhaps his composure that is the most impressive feature of his remarkable rise since joining the paid ranks after reaching the top of the amateur game.

With his victory at the RSM Classic over the weekend, Åberg receives a two-year exemption through 2025, among other benefits, and secured an invitation to his first Major - next year's Masters Tournament.

Speaking after claiming his second professional title, he said: "I'm super happy. It's kind of beyond my dreams.

"This is the sport that I love and the sport that I'm going to love for a very long time. Watching these events from a very young age is what I've done, so to see myself win is really cool.

"It validates my skillset and my capabilities. If you told me I'd achieve this a couple of months ago I would not have believed you.

"To be in this position, I need to pinch myself in the arm."

Åberg only joined the PGA TOUR in June after becoming the first player to earn direct access to the PGA TOUR via collegiate merit, finishing Number One on the 2023 PGA TOUR University Ranking. 

During his time at Texas Tech, he won eight times including becoming the first golfer to win back-to-back Big 12 Conference Championship titles in both 2022 and 2023 as he swept the major awards for college golf.

As if that wasn’t enough of an indication of his merits, he also had nine top 10 finishes in his final season in nine starts.

He also won the Ben Hogan Award as the best collegiate player in the United States in 2022 and 2023, becoming the first since Jon Rahm to win the award twice.

While it is too soon to know whether Åberg will go on to enjoy quite the same success as his two-time Major-winning Ryder Cup teammate, his temperament – clear for all to see so far in his fledgling professional career to date – will certainly be invaluable as the focus on him continues to heighten.