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The conversation Rory McIlroy had with Ludvig Aberg before their first round ahead of the 2023 Ryder Cup

Originally posted on HITC | By Jordan Harris | Last updated Sep 2, 2025 8:23 AM ET

Ludvig Aberg had already claimed a win on the DP World Tour in his first few months as a professional, but it was the 2023 Ryder Cup where he really made his name known.

There was some risk involved in Luke Donald’s decision to select Ludvig Aberg for the Ryder Cup. Aberg had only turned pro that June, but he did enough in a short time to convince the European captain to include him in the squad.

He won the Omega European Masters just before September, so it wasn’t exactly shocking when Donald gave him one of the captain’s picks for Marco Simone.

Of course, people still remember when Aberg and Viktor Hovland set a new Ryder Cup record by beating Scottie Scheffler and Brooks Koepka 9&7. That alone was enough to justify Donald’s choice to include him.

Rory McIlroy’s first words to Ludvig Aberg before they played together

Donald actually compared the first time he saw Aberg play to watching Rory McIlroy as a youngster. And it seems that McIlroy himself was just as excited about getting the chance to tee it up with the starlet ahead of the Ryder Cup.

Speaking on the Sky Sports Golf Podcast after naming Aberg as one of his captain’s picks for this year’s event at Bethpage, Donald was asked about the role Rory McIlroy has in the team room.

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“It’s hugely valuable. I just remember the very first practice trip we had. We’re teeing off on the first and Rory got to play with Ludvig for the very first time, and it was Rory who goes, ‘I’ve been looking forward to this for weeks’. It wasn’t Ludvig saying, ‘I can’t wait to play with you, Rory’. It was the other way around,” he said.

“Rory understands that individual mindset that makes himone of the best players to play this game but he understands that team mindset is really important. Being on the same level, being open, sharing his knowledge – all that goes with creating a unified team. Rory steps up in a big way.”

How Ludvig Aberg performed at the 2023 Ryder Cup

Aberg made a strong start to his Ryder Cup career. Teaming up with Hovland, they secured a 4&3 win over Max Homa and Brian Harman on Friday morning. While neither American will be involved at Bethpage, Homa went on to have a standout week for the US.

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The victory over Scheffler and Koepka sent a clear message early on. However, that turned out to be Aberg’s last major highlight of the competition.

Europe still managed to secure victory without too much trouble. Soon after, Aberg claimed his first PGA Tour title at The RSM Classic.

His 2025 season has had its ups and downs, but he did pick up a win at the Genesis Invitational back in February.

Even though he earned his spot in Bethpage as a captain’s pick, there is every reason to expect him to be trusted with multiple appearances throughout the event.

This article first appeared on HITC and was syndicated with permission.

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