Aberg hints at Hovland pairing as Europe weighs Ryder Cup reunion

Luke Donald is weighing a reunion for Europe at the Ryder Cup, considering Viktor Hovland and Ludvig Aberg as a doubles pairing at Bethpage Black. The two players, who formed a potent alliance in Rome two years ago, have not yet been grouped together in two practice sessions this week, a sign that Donald is weighing his options for the lead-up to the event.

Aberg was asked about their dynamic on Wednesday. "We get along," he said. "He's a funny guy to have funny conversations with. They can go in any direction that you don't really expect. He's always into sort of the UFO deals and all those things, so it's quite interesting. I'm not quite down that road just yet. If I hang out with him long enough, I might be. Again, you never really know where it's going to go, which is quite interesting."

Viktor Hovland, meanwhile, has been candid about the challenges in his game. The Norwegian rookie has studied Plato and other works as part of his preparation, and his last outing yielded a fifth-place finish at Wentworth. He acknowledged that his "soul" was aching over the frequency with which he was struggling to control his shots, even as his world ranking sits around No. 12.

Aberg added: "We had a good time in Rome, and we've played multiple practice rounds since, and our caddies get along great, too. He's a good friend to have on Tour and in the team room here."

The Rome performance remains a reference point for Aberg. The Swede was a breakout star in Rome, scoring two points from four just months after turning professional. He described that result as validation and a milestone in his career, noting that he had never met or spoken to those established stars before that week but still managed to contribute to a memorable victory. "The biggest thing that I take away from those couple days, and maybe especially that morning against Scheffler and Koepka, was just the validation for myself, that I'm able to do that. Because obviously before I played in Rome, I hadn't even met these guys. I had never shaken their hands. I had never had a conversation with them. For me to get there and to bring out a result like that was a big deal for me personally, to know that I'm able to beat those guys at times. I had a really good partner that day, which always helps. But it was a cool experience and probably something that I won't forget."