Ludvig Åberg turned professional just six months ago and has already won the Ryder Cup as part of Team Europe; captain Luke Donald put faith in the youngster and now believes the 'sky is the limit' for the 'generational' talent
Monday 20 November 2023 06:12, UK
A Ryder Cup captain always has to show the upmost faith in their players, but no one backed Ludvig Åberg more than Luke Donald and a first PGA Tour win is just more evidence as to why.
Heading to Rome, Åberg had only switched from the amateur ranks in June and had competed in just nine professional events, but received a wildcard selection after a breakthrough victory at the Omega European Masters.
He made the quickest transition from the amateur game to the Ryder Cup in the tournament's history, breaking the previous record held by Sergio Garcia in 1999, although enjoyed a glittering career before turning professional.
"We obviously knew what he was doing in the college scene," Donald said ahead of the Ryder Cup. "You look at what he did in those four years and the only comparables really were Viktor Hovland and Jon Rahm. He is that good.
"I played with him in Detroit and was blown away by his game. He continued to impress and I challenged him to come over to Europe and play a couple [of events].
"I really do have a lot of faith and belief in Ludvig. He is a generational player, he's going to be around a long time and he's going to do amazing things. If he wasn't going to play this one he was going to play the next eight Ryder Cups, that's how good I think he is."
While nerves for Team Europe supporters may have been present, it did not take long for Åberg to quell them as he partnered Viktor Hovland to victory in the opening foursomes session in Rome before the same pair also thrashed world No 1 Scottie Scheffler and five-time major winner Brooks Koepka 9&7 on day two, a record margin for an 18-hole Ryder Cup match.
Now, Åberg has proved once again why many are touting him to be one of the star golfers of the future with an impressive win at the RSM Classic, carding back-to-back rounds of 61 over the weekend at Sea Island to finish 29 under par, four shots clear of Canada's Mackenzie Hughes.
Donald was quick to congratulate his wildcard pick and believes we are only seeing the start of what is set to be an accolade-laden career.
"Anyone paying attention knew the unlimited potential of Ludvig, he showed that at Crans and now again dominating in Sea Island this week," Donald said on social media.
"Congratulations to you, Jack and your whole team, the sky is the limit."
Åberg admitted the moment felt like a "dream" and he hopes to "love golf for a long time" as he continues on in the professional ranks.
"I'm super happy. It's kind of beyond my dreams," Åberg said.
"It's really cool. To first off play on the PGA Tour, I have a lot of people to thank for that. It's been so much fun, six months that I'll never forget.
"This is what you dream of as a kid. 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."
Get the best prices and book a round at one of 1,700 courses across the UK & Ireland
