Billy Foster tells the story of when one in every of Europe’s hottest golfers performed alongside a younger Tiger Woods in 1996. Less than a yr later, Woods gained his first Masters and disappeared over the horizon.
Foster’s personal notion seems to be sound. The veteran caddy, presently on Matt Fitzpatrick’s bag, was with Ludwig Oberg when the Swede made his professional debut on the Canadian Open final June. On Friday evening, Foster despatched a textual content message to Luke Donald. “If you are adequate, you are sufficiently old,” Foster instructed the European Ryder Cup captain. “This child goes to be a stallion. Watch his each transfer.” Donald did all that and extra. Oberg made his Ryder Cup debut as Europe regained the trophy in Rome. Donald referred to as his newcomers “generational expertise.” Eslov, a city of about 20,000 folks close to Malmö, has produced world-famous stars.
Adam Scott wanted to be assured that Oberg’s look at Augusta National within the subsequent few days could be his first main look. That phantasm has helped the 24-year-old win on each side of the Atlantic, break into the world’s high 10 and win the Ryder Cup, regardless of having by no means performed in any of golf’s 4 main occasions. produced by details. It additionally would not be an enormous shock if Oberg grew to become the primary participant since Fuzzy Zoller in 1979 to win the Masters on his debut.
“That’s numerous development,” mentioned Scott, who gained the Green Jacket Award in 2013. “But I do not see any weaknesses in his recreation. No matter what space you have a look at, he already seems to be very full as a participant. He’s clearly artistic, however on the identical time he is an unimaginable participant. I’m studying a really sound basis.
“It’s very exhausting to inform who’s going to achieve success and who’s not going to achieve success. I feel there are rather a lot fewer separators now than there have been 20 years in the past, however when a participant like Ludwig comes alongside, it is like, ‘I can not miss it.’ ” you’d suppose. He has all of the elements to play at Augusta. He has all of the qualities to play anyplace. ”
Scott rightly admits that getting right into a US college was far much less of a big gamble for Oberg than it was when he left Queensland to attend the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, within the late Nineteen Nineties. He had nice success at Texas Tech. Oberg’s school coach, Greg Sands, additionally has a very good historical past with the Swedish golfer.
Ludwig Oberg lifts the Ryder Cup after Europe’s victory in Rome 2023. Photo: Patrick Smith/Getty Images
“The good fame of our college with the Swedish federation most likely helped Ludwig,” Sands says. “It ended up being a selection between us and Arizona State University. He visited each and felt he was the perfect match for us. At the time, we had a Norwegian He additionally believed that the climate right here was going to be much more troublesome.Certainly, all of us felt that his selections had been in a greater route. The funding mannequin used for golf scholarships for Swedish gamers means they’re much less seemingly than different gamers to drop out of college earlier than finishing their diploma. .
Oberg beforehand attended the sports-specialized Filbornaskoran boarding faculty in Helsingborg. “The gamers there are so mature it is like they’re already in school,” Sands mentioned. “So it is not that a lot of a tradition shock to return right here and keep in dorms and stuff like that. The college students at that college wish to do their greatest, too. They take issues very critically.”
To Sands’ credit score, he claims he had no concept Oberg would take professional golf by storm. “He at all times had the bodily instruments, however with us he shortly discovered all of the little issues it takes to win,” Sands says. “He knew he needed to get higher at placing, pitching, and studying the road. He took a really direct method to his weaknesses and rolled up his sleeves. He was higher at making errors. I wished to know the place my shortcomings had been as a result of I believed that may be a fantastic motivator for me to grow to be a greater particular person. People go loopy about his bodily abilities, however I do not know the way mentally robust he’s and the way I do not know if you wish to study.
“I do know this child is absolutely good and I do know he is going to achieve success as knowledgeable participant. I’ve instructed folks he will win a serious. But he isn’t going to adapt instantly. There are numerous good gamers as properly. I may not have anticipated him to take action a lot so shortly. I underestimated his means to get snug. He is Now I might win that main.”
But there have been clear clues as to what would occur subsequent. Oberg has risen to the highest of the newbie world rankings. His success on the 2021 Georgia Jones Cup got here in inclement climate. Justin Thomas and Patrick Reed are additionally former winners of this occasion.
Oberg’s calmness is instantly obvious. So is the tempo of his work. His pre-shot routine is one in every of his quickest within the recreation. Paul McGinley, the 2014 Ryder Cup European captain, praised Oberg’s “unflinching aura”. McGinley added: “He has a fantastic ‘subsequent shot, subsequent shot, subsequent shot’ mentality. Don’t suppose an excessive amount of, simply play.” He pulls a membership out of his bag and has a fast dialogue along with his caddy. , from the second he stands on the ball, takes one look and says bang. There’s rather a lot to be mentioned about that.
At Augusta, the Masters scoreboard is full, with Ludwig Oberg’s identify (simply) within the high left.Photo: Warren Little/Getty Images
“You can see that he’s in a fantastic state of affairs the place he enjoys his setting and doesn’t get too influenced by success and does issues at his personal tempo.”
McGinley believes that solely Oberg’s stage of ambition will decide how good he can grow to be. Oberg is ruthless. Even in a fantastic 2023, he modified caddies to Joe Skovron, who was with Rickie Fowler when the American rose to prominence a decade in the past.
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Oberg visited Augusta National within the aftermath of final month’s Players Championship. He additionally performed there throughout his freshman yr of faculty. “I simply keep in mind being on cloud 9,” Oberg remembers of his first journey. “I’m strolling round pondering, ‘What is that this place?’ It’s so cool and particular. I’m wanting ahead to taking part in there once more. It’s been in my head that I would come again as a touring professional. , I could not have anticipated it to occur so shortly. Augusta was on my thoughts from the second I certified.” This is what Swedish desires are fabricated from.
Oberg’s ambitions clearly don’t finish with merely changing him within the Masters subject. “I do know I’ve grown rather a lot over the previous yr, however I additionally know I’ve extra to offer,” he says.
“Obviously, I’m pleased with my qualities and talents. I feel that is an important factor. I hope I can carry out properly on that stage and I’d wish to see the way it goes. But I’m pleased with what I’m doing and I do not attempt to change it an excessive amount of from week to week.”
Shane Lowry didn’t play with Oberg till the follow around the day earlier than the Ryder Cup began. The Irishman was instantly satisfied of what he had seen. “He’s a future No. 1 on the planet,” Lowry mentioned. “He’s probably the most spectacular golfer I’ve seen since Rory.” [McIlroy]”
Lowry factors out that “all the opposite issues” that somebody in Oberg’s place has to cope with might be extra essential than how they hit their tee shot or iron. If Oberg’s profession goes as anticipated, the hype surrounding him will seemingly deliver much more strain.
“I feel he has to benefit from this momentum proper now,” Scott mentioned. “It’s inevitable all through your profession and it is going to be worse for some folks than others. But whenever you’re operating, you need to preserve operating and preserve pushing. There’s nothing stopping him from making the leap and profitable a serious. He ought to do it now.
Oberg poses with the European Masters trophy after profitable in Switzerland in 2023. Photo: Jean-Christophe Bott/EPA-EFE
“Being about the identical age I used to be after I gained The Players, it was an opportunity for me to actually meet the majors. And I simply struggled with them. Even if I used to be essential of myself, it was all It was coming a little bit bit straightforward, and within the largest tournaments, they expose your flaws. So, wanting again, perhaps I might have pushed myself extra. And we had Tiger, I had such a tough time believing that you can beat him. That’s not the case right here immediately.”
Henrik Stenson, Oberg’s childhood idol, took his compatriot out to dinner two years in the past whereas on the PGA Tour in San Antonio. While Stenson doesn’t declare to have performed a key function in Oberg’s growth, he’s well-placed to evaluate the golfer’s potential worth to Sweden. “He has a mature head on younger shoulders,” Stenson says. “He approaches his personal issues with out being too condescending or too exalted. He retains himself inside his personal field and does issues his personal approach.
“We nonetheless have a powerful custom in issues like hockey, soccer and different winter sports activities, so in that sense golf is at all times form of knocking on the door a little bit bit. But it is all inside the sport. It additionally will depend on how dominant he’s. If Ludwig turns into as dominant as Bjorn Borg or Ingemar Stenmark or Zlatan. [Ibrahimovic] In golf, why hasn’t he been this large in that sense? But there are numerous pictures he has to hit to get there. ” At Augusta, much less is extra. This is the most recent fascinating check for Oberg.