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Europe captain Luke Donald hailed Ludvig Aberg as a \u201cgenerational\u201d talent after handing him a wild card and backing a team with four \u201cfearless\u201d rookies to regain the Ryder Cup.<\/p>\n
Former world number one amateur Aberg only turned professional in June, but won the final qualifying event in Switzerland on Sunday with a final round of 64 at Crans-sur-Sierre.<\/p>\n
The 23-year-old Swede has made the quickest transition from the amateur ranks to the Ryder Cup in the contest\u2019s history, eclipsing the previous record set by Sergio Garcia, who made his debut in 1999 after turning professional following April\u2019s Masters.<\/p>\n
Aberg was selected along with Tommy Fleetwood, Sepp Straka, Shane Lowry, Justin Rose and Nicolai Hojgaard, with Poland\u2019s Adrian Meronk arguably the most unfortunate to miss out after winning the Italian Open at the host venue in May.<\/p>\n
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The six wild cards join automatic qualifiers Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Matt Fitzpatrick, Viktor Hovland, Tyrrell Hatton and Robert MacIntyre in Donald\u2019s team, which will attempt to regain the trophy at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club following a record 19-9 thrashing two years ago.<\/p>\n
Speaking about Aberg, Donald said: \u201cWe obviously knew what he was doing in the college scene. 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cI played with him in Detroit and was blown away by his game. He was a cool nine under through 16 holes like it was nothing. He was calm, collected, he made everything look very simple and he hits a lot of quality shots.<\/p>\n
\u201cI haven\u2019t played a lot with Jon Rahm, I got to watch Viktor for three matches at Whistling Straits and was really impressed with his ball-striking. When Rory was breaking out I thought \u2018this kid is special\u2019 and Ludvig fits in that.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe continued to impress and I challenged him to come over to Europe and play a couple (of events).<\/p>\n
\u201cHe was fifth (tied fourth) in the Czech Masters and you know what he did yesterday. It was like a walk in the park for him and for someone that is so inexperienced, it was just so, so impressive.<\/p>\n
\u201cI really do have a lot of faith and belief in Ludvig. He is a generational player, he\u2019s going to be around a long time and he\u2019s going to do amazing things.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf he wasn\u2019t going to play this one he was going to play the next eight Ryder Cups, that\u2019s how good I think he is.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe proved it on Sunday, he\u2019s a cool customer too. The statistics show he would be the number one driver this year, ahead of Rory and Scottie Scheffler.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am happy to have four rookies on the team. In 2004 I was one of five and we did just fine. These young kids are ready and fearless.\u201d<\/p>\n
Aberg said: \u201cThinking about getting that call from Luke gives me goosebumps. These are the events you want to be a part of.<\/p>\n
He is a generational player, he’s going to be around a long time and he’s going to do amazing things<\/p>\n
\u201cYou want to have that shot or putt to win a match. I\u2019ve been fortunate to be part of team events before, although I understand this is at a different level. But I am up for the challenge.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rose, who will make his sixth Ryder Cup appearance in Rome, conceded initial thoughts of picking Aberg had sounded \u201cincredibly premature\u201d, but added: \u201cHe has absolutely backed it up.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was aware of this European stud turning pro and he\u2019s one of the players who has a very-impressive game to the point where, in the evening if you haven\u2019t watched any coverage, you go to his Shot Tracker and you go \u2018Oh my God\u2019, he hit it 340 yards down the middle of that fairway.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe has a couple of weapons that are not necessarily at everyone\u2019s disposal.\u201d<\/p>\n
Away from Aberg, Donald praised Straka for travelling from Maui to Abu Dhabi to take part in January\u2019s inaugural Hero Cup, where Hojgaard \u2013 who is another winner at Marco Simone \u2013 went unbeaten as a late replacement for his injured twin brother Rasmus.<\/p>\n
And the former world number one insisted he had no concerns over the form of 2019 Open champion Lowry, who has not recorded a top 10 finish in 2023.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s a big-time player, he steps up in the moments,\u201d Donald said. \u201cWe have two important weeks for him in Ireland and Wentworth and it wouldn\u2019t surprise me if he\u2019s up there having a good chance in those events.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Asked if Meronk was unfortunate to miss out, Donald added: \u201cAdrian was very much on my mind. There were a number of players that you could make a good argument to be on that team that aren\u2019t. Those are difficult decisions.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve been in that position myself, I know what it feels like and it\u2019s gut-wrenching. I spoke to them all and it\u2019s never easy but they handled it with class.\u201d<\/p>\n