Luke Donald stuns by naming newcomer Ludvig Aberg as one of six Ryder Cup wild card picks

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.

The 23-year-old Swede has made the quickest transition from the amateur ranks to the Ryder Cup in the contest's history, eclipsing the previous record set by Sergio Garcia, who made his debut in September 1999 after turning professional following April's Masters.

Aberg was selected along with Tommy Fleetwood, Sepp Straka, Shane Lowry, Justin Rose and Nicolai Hojgaard, with Poland’s Adrian Meronk missing out despite winning the Italian Open at the host venue in May.

The six wild cards join automatic qualifiers Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Matt Fitzpatrick, Viktor Hovland, Tyrrell Hatton and Robert MacIntyre in Donald's team, which will attempt to regain the trophy at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club from September 29 to October 1.

Speaking about Aberg, Donald said: “We 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.

“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).

“He was fifth 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.”

"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.

"He proved it on Sunday, he's a cool customer too. The statistics show he would be the number one driver this year, ahead of Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler."

Asked about the players who missed out on selection, Donald added: "There were a number of players that you could make a good argument to be on that team that aren't. Those are difficult decisions.

"I've been in that position myself, I know what it feels like and it's gut-wrenching. I spoke to them all and it's never easy but they handled it with class."

Europe's final 12 confirmed

AUTOMATIC QUALIFIERS

Jon Rahm (Spain)

Age: 28

Caps: 2 (2018, 2021)

Record: Won 4 Lost 3 Halved 1

Won three of his first five events of the year and then added his second major title in the Masters in April, also finishing tied second in the Open Championship. Won just one of his three matches in Paris but it was a vital one, beating Tiger Woods in the singles. Europe’s stand-out performer at Whistling Straits with three-and-a-half points from five matches.

Viktor Hovland (Norway)

Age: 25

Caps: 1 (2021)

Record: Won 0 Lost 3 Halved 2

Earned just a point from five matches at Whistling Straits and will be expected to deliver much more in Rome after ending the season with back-to-back wins in the BMW Championship and Tour Championship to claim the FedEx Cup title. Partnered three different players in 2021, giving Donald either welcome flexibility or a selection headache.

Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland)

Age: 34

Caps: 6 (2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2021)

Record: Won 12 Lost 12 Halved 4

Was in tears after winning his singles at Whistling Straits as he felt he had let the side down by suffering three heavy defeats over the first two days. Produced a brilliant birdie-birdie finish to win the Scottish Open in July and ended the PGA Tour season with 10 consecutive top-10 finishes.

Tyrrell Hatton (England)

Age: 31

Caps: 2 (2018, 2021)

Record: Won 2 Lost 4 Halved 1

Without a win since January 2021, but qualified via the World Points list after a consistent season which included a runners-up finish in the Players Championship, nine top 10s and just one missed cut. Played four matches at Whistling Straits but his caddie’s fitness following a knee operation could be a factor at a hilly venue in Rome.

Matt Fitzpatrick (England)

Age: 29

Caps: 2 (2016, 2021)

Record: Won 0 Lost 5 Halved 0

Has a miserable record in the Ryder Cup to date, sitting out the opening day at Hazeltine and then losing his foursomes match with Henrik Stenson before being sent out last in the singles and losing to 2023 US captain Zach Johnson. Also lost all three matches at Whistling Straits but won the US Open in 2022 and will surely be picked for a fourballs session this time around.

Robert MacIntyre (Scotland)

Age: 27

Caps: 0

Won the Italian Open at host venue Marco Simone last September and solidified his position with second in the Scottish Open, where he made a stunning birdie on the last before being denied by McIlroy. Fourth in the penultimate qualifying event after playing with Donald the first two days.

CAPTAIN’S PICKS

Tommy Fleetwood (England)

Age: 32

Caps: 2 (2018, 2021)

Record: Won 4, Lost 2, Halved 2

Made his debut in 2018 and partnered Francesco Molinari to four wins, three of them against an American pairing containing Tiger Woods. Ran out of steam in the singles and was beaten 6&4 by Tony Finau. Without Molinari alongside, lost one and halved two of his matches in Wisconsin.

Shane Lowry (Ireland)

Age: 36

Caps: 1 (2021)

Record: Won 1 Lost 2 Halved 0

Went into the last event in the final automatic qualifying place in 2021 but was pushed out by Bernd Wiesberger and had to rely on a wild card. Won the first qualifying event, the 2022 BMW Championship, this time around but still required a pick after recording just one top-10 finish in 2023.

Justin Rose (England)

Age: 43

Caps: 5 (2008, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018)

Record: Won 13 Lost 8 Halved 2

The former US Open champion was overlooked for a wild card in 2021 but ended a four-year victory drought on the PGA Tour in February’s AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. Previously formed a strong partnership with Stenson, whose switch to LIV Golf cost him the captaincy of the side for Rome.

Sepp Straka (Austria)

Age: 30

Caps: 0

The second Austrian to play in the Ryder Cup after Wiesberger, Straka won his second PGA Tour title in July and followed it a fortnight later with a tie for second in the Open. Also finished seventh in the US PGA Championship and was part of the victorious Continental Europe side in January’s Hero Cup.

Ludvig Aberg (Sweden)

Age: 23

Caps: 0

Former world number one amateur who finished first in the PGA Tour University rankings to earn his card and only turned professional in June. Shot 65 and 67 alongside Donald in the first two rounds of the Rocket Mortgage Classic and won the final qualifying event in Switzerland with a closing 64.

Nicolai Hojgaard (Denmark)

Age: 22

Caps: 0

Finished 16th on the World Points list and just 25th on the European list, but won the first Italian Open at Marco Simone in September 2021 and was fifth in the same event this year. Finished third and fifth in the final two qualifying events and is ranked second in scoring average and strokes gained off the tee.

READ MORE: Ludvig Aberg wins Omega Masters, hopes for Ryder Cup wild card pick