Aberg showing peak form in time for Ryder Cup pick
ONE shoo-in for Luke Donald’s Ryder Cup challenge has strengthened his lead at the final qualifying event in Switzerland — but it is the Europeans behind Matt Fitzpatrick who are garnering the greatest interest ahead of tomorrow’s team announcement.
In particular, all eyes are drawn to a Swedish 23-year-old who only turned professional in June, Ludvig Aberg. The former world No 1 amateur currently sits in a tie for second at the Omega European Masters on 13 under par, two behind Fitzpatrick, and his case for a pick grows stronger by the hole.
It would be a sizeable gamble to throw him in against the US, but such is the prodigious brilliance of his driving — a quality that will be amplified on the tightened fairways of Marco Simone in Rome later this month — his list of admirers is a long one.
Donald is most notable among them, which lends credence to the possibility of him being the eye-catching choice among six wildcards and rather balances out some of misgivings of wise old heads on the Euro circuit.
Aberg’s three straight birdies to wrap up a third-round 66 points to a talent who can drown out the noise.
Donald’s landscape is more complicated than that which faced his US counterpart, Zach Johnson — his six automatic qualifiers will be drawn three apiece from two lists based on European points and those garnered worldwide. So far
Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Viktor Hovland and Tyrrell Hatton have assured qualification and Fitzpatrick will join them via the world list if he finishes in the top seven in a tournament he has won twice before. He will be given a pick even if he collapses.
It can also be confidently assumed that Tommy Fleetwood, Shane Lowry, Justin Rose and Sepp Straka will receive wildcards, making nine of the 12.
Bob MacIntyre currently holds the final automatic qualifying spot on the European list but he could lose it to Yannik Paul if the German makes an unlikely charge from nine under to top the Swiss leaderboard today.
The Scot was fortunate to make the cut in Crans-Montana and a 70 yesterday left him back on three under, 12 adrift of Fitzpatrick and facing an anxious afternoon.
Adrian Meronk, the twins Nicolai and Rasmus Hojgaard, Aberg, Victor Perez and Seamus Power all remain in a tight chase for picks.