No wonder Ludvig Aberg is so fancied to end the 45-year curse of the Masters debutant at Augusta this week. Nothing seems beyond his extraordinary gifts.

On Sunday, the Swede drove a par-four green at the Texas Open despite the head of his driver flying off in the process. Strike it up as another first for Aberg, who last October made history by playing in the Ryder Cup before he had even appeared in a major.

Aberg stepped up to the 17th tee box at TPC San Antonio – his eighth hole – and attempted to reach the putting surface. However, he was aghast as his driver head flew off the shaft at impact and propelled itself in the air alongside the ball.

The 24-year-old was further baffled when cheers came roaring from 300 yards away. Aberg narrowly missed the 12-footer for eagle but tapped in for birdie on his way to a 67 as he thrust himself to the outskirts of contention on six-under.

“It was odd, bizarre,” Aberg said. “I’ve never experienced anything like that, not even in practice. I was just in shock. I’m glad the ball stayed inbounds because I really don’t know what could have happened.”

Aberg has made a habit of stunning fans. Last summer, he achieved his first win on the DP World Tour at the Omega Masters just four months after making the jump from college into the professional ranks and that form earned him a call-up into Luke Donald’s Ryder Cup team.

‘The perfect physique to play this game’

Aberg then recorded his first PGA Tour win, at the Sanderson Championship, a week after Europe’s victory in Rome. After entering the world’s top ten, it will be no surprise if Aberg becomes the first since Fuzzy Zoeller in 1979 to prevail on his Augusta debut.

“He’s my dark horse,” said former Ryder Cup captain and TV analyst Curtis Strange. “In the last week some of my researchers at ESPN asked how he can be a dark horse? I replied, ‘Well, he’s never played in a major before’. He’s only 24. He’s burst onto the scene so quickly.