Second round leaderboard, updates at TPC Twin Cities

With the Ryder Cup creeping ever closer, there has been no shortage of discussion on the topic regarding who’s going to make the team on the United States side.

But what about the Europeans? Sure, stalwarts like Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm will be on the team, as will Viktor Hovland and Tommy Fleetwood.

What about Ludvig Aberg? Yeah, the guy who was playing college golf two months ago.

Aberg shot 7-under 64, tying for the second-lowest round of the day Friday, moving nearly 100 spots up the leaderboard after a 1-over 72 start in the first round. He became the first player in Tour history to earn his card straight out of college through PGA Tour University, and he has had a strong summer.

He tied for fourth at the John Deere Classic and has missed only one cut in five professional starts, coming at the Genesis Scottish Open. He has earned 199 FedEx Cup points in his five events since turning pro, and he didn’t get any for a T-24 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, which he played as an amateur.

He’s also 23, having a bit more playing experience than some of the game’s other young stars, even if he’s new to the professional game.

That brings the question: could he be a captain’s pick for the Ryder Cup?

Luke Donald has plenty of choices to make, similar to U.S. captain Zach Johnson. There are plenty of players with more professional experience than Aberg, but the European team is going to have plenty of players getting their first Ryder Cup experience in Rome. So why not give Aberg a shot?

Although his chance to make the FedEx Cup Playoffs is small, a strong finish at the 3M Open and another performance next week at the Wyndham Championship could give Donald something to think about.

Aberg’s career is just getting started, and if he’s able to convince Donald to pick him with his play, an early appearance could propel him to even higher heights.