RYDER CUP rookie Ludvig Aberg boasts the longest average tee shot heading into this weekend’s showdown between Europe and USA.

The 2023 edition of the iconic golf event gets underway on Friday as the finest European stars bid to reclaim the title they lost to the Americans in 2021.

And Luke Donald’s side come into the competition with a major advantage when it comes to their driving distances.

Swede Aberg, 23, tops the charts with a 327-yard average – one clear of Rory McIlroy.

Then comes Dane Nicolai Hojgaard and Spaniard Jon Rahm with 316 and 314 respectively.

All of Europe’s top four have a bigger driving distance than the top American, according to stats gathered from the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and LIV Golf.

The best US driver is Wyndham Clark with an average of 313 yards.

US Open champion Clark, 29, sits two yards clear of Sam Burns and three ahead of World No1 Scottie Scheffler.

Overall, 10 of Europe’s 12-man team hold average driving distances of more than 300 yards.

The only ones that fall below that mark are Sepp Straka and Justin Rose.

The US also have 10 players exceeding the 300 mark, with Colin Morikawa and Brian Harman the only exceptions.

However, it is clear Europe have the edge when it comes to the driving power of their top players.

And they will be hoping the likes of Aberg, McIlroy, Hojgaard and Rahm can use that to their advantage over the course of the weekend in Rome.