PINEHURST, N.C. — One is a 24-year-old rising star with a career of limitless potential ahead of him.
The other is a 44-year-old fading star whose high-level accomplishments are behind him.
One is playing in first career U.S. Open. The other is playing in his 25th consecutive.
Both are European — one of them among the greatest Ryder Cup players ever and the other a player every European golf fan hopes follows that success.
Both are in contention after Thursday’s first round of the 124th U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2.
Remember the name Ludvig Aberg.
The young Swede is one shot out of the lead held by Patrick Cantlay and Rory McIlroy through 18 holes after shooting a flawless 4-under 66.
The other name, Sergio Garcia, you know already given his historic Ryder Cup prowess and consistent career staying power that includes 36 worldwide wins, including one major championship.
Garcia, the 2017 Masters champion who got into the field this week as an alternate after losing in a playoff at a sectional qualifier, is four shots off the lead after shooting a bogey-free 1-under 69.
Garcia, who learned he was in the field on Monday, posted what was one of only a handful of bogey-free rounds among the 156 players who teed it up on Thursday.
“To shoot under par in a U.S. Open, which is a championship that I love, it’s always great,’’ Garcia said. “To go bogey-free is even greater. I’m very happy about the way I played, the way I managed my game throughout the whole round, and how patient I stayed all day.’’
Aberg, too, showed remarkable patience for a youngster playing in only his third career major championship. On the course, he plays like an accomplished veteran, and off the course, he comports himself that way, too.
“I think every stage throughout his very, very young career, he’s shown that he belongs,” McIlroy said of Aberg.
Those words from McIlroy came back in April at the Masters after Aberg, playing in his first career major, finished runner-up to Scottie Scheffler.
That performance came after Aberg was a contributing member of Europe’s winning 2023 Ryder Cup team six months earlier. Yes, Aberg played in a Ryder Cup before he played in his first career major.
On Thursday, Aberg played as close to a stress-free round of golf as is possible on this treacherous golf course in diabolical U.S. Open conditions, hitting all 14 fairways and reaching 16 of 18 greens in regulation.
“He’s a stripe show,’’ Tony Finau, who was grouped with Aberg, said after his round of 68. “That’s the first time I ever played with him. He’s far from a rookie. I mean, he’s not even your average first guy playing in a major championship.
“He’s been on some of the biggest stages already and shown he’s going to be a world-class player. It was a joy to watch.’’
So, too, was Garcia, because of his passion, which is always well-represented on his shirt sleeves. Full respect for Garcia for putting himself through a 36-hole grind of a U.S. Open sectional qualifier.
“It’s something that I give a lot of respect to, and I’m very proud of,’’ Garcia said. “I’ve had the pleasure of playing this championship 25 years in a row. Not a lot of people get to do that. So, I’m very, very happy to be here, and that’s why I keep trying to qualify and make it here.’’
The Exhibit A opposite example of Garcia’s passion and want-to is his fellow LIV Golf competitor Talor Gooch, a 32-year-old who hasn’t accomplished a fraction that the Spaniard has, who opted to not even attempt qualifying for the U.S. Open or British Open.
Guys like that will never attain the status Garcia has or the status Aberg seems destined to reach.
“Everyone in my position, they are going to want to be major champions, they are going to want to be world number one, and it’s the same for me,’’ Aberg said at the Masters. “I think [the Masters result] solidifies a lot of those things are there. We just need to keep doing those things and put ourselves in positions to win tournaments.’’
Through 18 holes at Pinehurst No. 2, that’s exactly where Aberg is — in position.
Same for Sergio.
“I love what I do, which is playing golf,’’ Garcia said Thursday. “I’m a competitor. Do I have to prove anything? No, of course not. Would I like to play better and better every day? Of course, I would. Who wouldn’t? [But] when it comes down to proving things … I think I’ve done well enough.’’
No argument there.
Garcia has spent the past two decades proving himself, albeit not without a few hiccups, and it’s been fun to watch.
Aberg, much more polished early in his career than Garcia was as a precocious young buck, is just beginning.
His journey, too, is going to be fun to watch.
