Aberg leads cast of rookies hoping to write Ryder Cup script

ROME : Trawl through the annals of the Ryder Cup and there are tales aplenty of rookies rising to the occasion with match-winning contributions but Sweden's Ludvig Aberg is already making waves before striking a ball in anger.

The 23-year-old is one of eight rookies featuring in the 44th edition of the biennial match - four apiece for Europe and the United States - but by far the most hyped.

Two of those eight are seasoned Americans Brian Harman and Wyndham Clark who claimed their first major titles this year; Harman at The British Open and Clark at the U.S. Open.

By contrast, Aberg is fresh out of Texas Tech, only turned professional in June and is the first player ever to feature in the Ryder Cup without ever contesting a major championship.

Having swept the honours in college golf, Aberg won his first professional tournament 75 days after joining the paid ranks, eclipsing a stellar field at the European Masters.

For those in the know, it's no surprise he has exploded on to the scene. "I was on the bandwagon before," Europe talisman Rory McIlroy said after seeing him close up for the first time. "I'm certainly at the front of it now."

Aberg is already being compared to Spain's world number three and Masters champion Jon Rahm, another who excelled on the college tour, while Europe captain Luke Donald was "blown away" when playing with him and called him a "generational talent."

Aberg attempted to play down the hype when one media representative said he was already as famous as other Swedes including pop music icons Abba and tennis great Bjorn Borg.

"I would not put myself in the same sentence as Abba. All I try to do is play golf and I try to hit as few shots as I can every tournament I play in," he said.

The strapping Swede is