Former European Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley has likened Ludvig Aberg to Roger Federer, predicting the Swedish golfer will display his “elegance” at Bethpage Black.

The anticipation is nearly over as the opening tee shots are set to be hit in New York this Friday. McGinley is confident that 25-year-old Aberg will be a significant asset for Europe’s captain, Luke Donald.

Aberg was an unexpected choice when he first appeared in Europe’s victory in Rome two years ago. However, he turned out to be an inspired pick and has since become one of the world’s top golfers. The two-time PGA Tour winner is part of a European team that Donald has described as “very unusual.”

In 2023, Aberg scored two points from four matches. His standout moment was partnering with Viktor Hovland to deliver a stunning 9&7 defeat to Scottie Scheffler and Brooks Koepka in the Saturday foursomes.

McGinley attended a two-day scouting trip to Bethpage this week. He is optimistic that Aberg can recreate his Ryder Cup magic in Long Island.

“The stud among everybody, you know, besides the obvious Rory [McIlroy] and Tommy [Fleetwood] and Jon [Rahm], is Ludvig Aberg,” he said. “I mean, oh my God, the way he hits the golf ball, the way he plays. Again, he’s shown some nice form in the last month.

“He’s coming back into form again. He nearly won the Masters, remember. Let’s not forget that. He was the joint leader of the Masters, standing on the 17th tee in the last round. So he’s a guy. He really is a stud in terms of how he hits the golf ball, how he plays, and his elegance. He reminds me of Roger Federer.

“In tennis terms, he’s got that style about him and that easiness with him. He’s a natural-born athlete. Hits the ball so far straight and has that, you know, that not nonchalant, but it’s a kind of laid back manner about him that Federer had as well, too. He would be the guy to stand out.”

Aberg claimed his breakthrough triumph in February, capturing The Genesis Invitational at Torrey Pines. That victory appeared to set the stage for an outstanding campaign, but his performance dipped in subsequent weeks, including a costly mistake on the final hole at the Masters that dashed his slender chances of claiming the green jacket.

After failing to make the weekend at the U.S. Open in June, he has bounced back impressively with three top-10 results during the final stretch of the PGA Tour campaign, and he is certain to feature prominently in Donald’s strategy at Bethpage.