Some players generate excitement when they arrive at a tournament because of what they have won. Then there are a select few who also create it because of everything they look destined to win. Ludvig Åberg clearly belongs to the latter group. The Swede is making his bow this week at the Open de España presented by Madrid, and he does so as one of the leading figures in golf’s new generation at the age of 26.
His rise has been as rapid as it has been unusual. In June 2023, he was still an amateur, leaving Texas Tech as the number one in the PGA Tour University rankings. Just three months later, he won the Omega European Masters at Crans-sur-Sierre, and Luke Donald selected him for the Ryder Cup in Rome. Åberg became the first player in history to compete in a Ryder Cup without having played in a major. Far from being overawed by the occasion, he contributed to Europe’s victory and, alongside Viktor Hovland, delivered a historic 9&7 win over Scottie Scheffler and Brooks Koepka.
Since then, his career has only confirmed those expectations. He now has two PGA Tour victories — the 2023 RSM Classic and the 2025 Genesis Invitational — in addition to his DP World Tour title, and has represented Europe in the 2023 and 2025 Ryder Cups. The 2026 season has not yet brought him a victory, but it has produced remarkable consistency: nine top-10 finishes on the PGA Tour, including fourth place at the PGA Championship, ninth at The Open and another fourth at the TOUR Championship.
Now it is time for him to discover Madrid. And, above all, the black course at Real Club de Campo Villa de Madrid, a Javier Arana design that demands more than just power. Åberg has speed to spare and one of the purest, most rhythmic swings in world golf, but here he will also need to choose wisely from the tee, have his irons dialled in and read greens where pin positions and slopes punish the smallest of slip-ups. The Madrid course will provide an intriguing test for a player whose combination of power, accuracy and apparent ease from the tee seems suited to any venue.
The Swede has already had a chance to practise on the black course, both on Tuesday and in Wednesday’s Pro-Am, allowing him to assess first-hand the condition of the greens, the severity of the rough and, of course, the beauty of the views across Madrid.
The competition gets underway on Thursday. Åberg will tee off at 9.20 am from the 10th alongside Tyrrell Hatton and Ángel Ayora in one of the most attractive groups of the opening round. For the Madrid crowd, it will be the first opportunity to see him compete at an Open de España, but probably not the last. Because if Ludvig Åberg has shown anything since bursting onto the professional golf scene, it is that he is always thirsty for more.
