Ludvig Aberg made another flying start under the watchful eyes of two Ryder Cup vice-captains at the Omega European Masters, while Yannik Paul also started quickly to put pressure on Robert MacIntyre in the race to make Luke Donald’s team.
Young Swede Aberg is playing alongside Donald’s deputies Nicolas Colsaerts and Edoardo Molinari in the Swiss mountains of Crans Montana, and did not disappoint with a stunning first round.
Aberg hit a flawless six-under-par round of 64 at Crans-sur-Sierre GC to sit just one shot off the early lead and no doubt impress the watching vice-captains.
The 23-year-old finished T4 in Prague last week after playing the first two rounds with Francesco Molinari, and he charged out the blocks in Switzerland with five birdies in his first six before parring in until a birdie on his final hole.
With yet another brilliant round in front of two vice-captains watching it adds yet more evidence that Aberg would fully justify being handed a spot in Donald’s side.
There’s also the final automatic spot on the European Points List up for grabs in the final qualifying event in Switzerland, with MacIntyre the man in possession but Paul breathing down his neck.
Paul is MacIntyre’s closest challenger and the German piled the pressure on the Scotsman as he matched Aberg’s opening round 64.
The 29-year-old hit five birdies and an eagle against just one bogey to join Aberg in an early T3 position, which is around the mark he needs to stand a chance of pipping MacIntyre.
And that round will have MacIntyre feeling the pressure after he finished his day four shots worse off with a 68 putting him well down the field.
If that continues into the weekend then the calculators will be out to work out just what each man needs to try and secure that final automatic qualifying spot.
For Aberg though, who is chasing a wildcard, his auditions continue to go about as well as they could and it almost seems inevitable now that he’ll get a spot in Donald’s side for Rome.
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