Flying Start For Aberg As Paul Puts Pressure On MacIntyre In Switzerland

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.

Aberg is playing for a wildcard and made another fast start, but the real pressure is on the race for the final automatic qualifying spot.

Ideally they'll be Ryder Cup teammates next month, but right now in Switzerland Paul and MacIntyre are battling for just one remaining automatic place.

MacIntyre leads the way but Paul made an early dent in the lead by shooting 64 to the Scotsman's 68, meaning the pressure is now all on the left-hander to try and claw some of that gap back as he looks to cling onto that final spot.

And there's a serious head-to-head feel with Paul and MacIntyre playing together for the first two rounds - along with another Ryder Cup hopeful Adrian Meronk.

"Obviously there’s a lot of (Ryder Cup) talk going on," said Paul. "But for me it didn’t really matter who I was playing with. So many things you can’t really control.

"I just try to see it as a normal tournament and enjoy it, be grateful and if I feel like that tend to play my best golf.

"So I didn’t really compare myself to anyone, just try to stay in my zone and today it worked really well."

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.

Another Aberg hot start

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.

The Young Swede 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.