European Ryder and Solheim Cup teams: Straka, Aberg, Hojgaard and Hull stake claims

The US Women's Open was held at the iconic Pebble Beach on the Californian coast for the first time

As the golf season builds towards those huge autumnal transatlantic tussles for Ryder and Solheim Cups, several young guns are entitled to celebrate posting eye-catching and spectacular low scores.

England's Charley Hull equalled her best major finish to remind Europe how big an asset she will be at the Solheim Cup, while Sepp Straka, Ludvig Aberg and Rasmus Hojgaard have dramatically thrust themselves into the Ryder Cup picture.

Hull's closing 66 in the US Women's Open at Pebble Beach last Sunday confirmed a welcome return to form for the Kettering pro after she comfortably missed the cut at the KPMG Women's PGA a fortnight ago.

Her round contained six birdies and an eagle at the second. It was a confident display, the sort that will cheer Solheim skipper Suzann Pettersen for the defence of the trophy at Finca Cortesin in Spain this September.

"I'm quite an aggressive person when it comes to life," said Hull, who is just 27 and likely to be playing in her sixth Solheim Cup.

"And I just feel like I'm quite aggressive on the golf course. I like to go for pins. It's just a game, I might as well make it fun."

Having started the final day in California seven shots back, she shared second place, finishing just two shots behind winner Allisen Corpuz.

The Hawaiian champion can undoubtedly look forward to making her Solheim debut after she claimed her first tour win as a major and also went close earlier in the year at the Chevron Championship.

A week after the Solheim Cup, attention will switch to the men's Ryder Cup in Rome. What price Austria's Straka - someone who grew up not sure who to support in the biennial jousts - making his debut in Luke Donald's team?

Until last week's John Deere Classic it had been a quiet year for the Vienna-born 30-year-old - a share of seventh at the US PGA Championship in May and joint fifth at the Honda Classic providing limited joy.

That all changed, though, with a stunning final-round 62 at TPC Deere Run in Illinois, a round that even included a double-bogey six at the last.

Straka still won by two strokes and anyone who can fire an eagle and nine birdies under final-round pressure on the PGA Tour must, surely, be considered a Ryder Cup candidate.

"September is a few months away, and I'm glad my game is in good shape," Straka said after his win. "Hopefully I can make a push for that."

Rarely - if ever - has anyone entered a Ryder Cup with divided loyalties, but Straka could be the exception. He has lived in Georgia since he was 14 and speaks with an American accent.

"I used to say I'm 50% Austrian and 50% American," he revealed. "A friend of mine who is Austrian, Clemons, corrected me one day and said, you are 100% Austrian, 100% American.

"You can't really pick between the two. They're both part of my upbringing. Yeah, I wouldn't change it for the world."

If this - Straka's second PGA Tour win - proves a launchpad for the rest of the summer, Donald will not be able to resist having a deep south twang joining the conversation in the European team room.

The continental skipper will also be encouraged by another impressive week for Aberg, a Swede regarded as the coming force of European golf. A former amateur world number one, the 23-year-old has made a very accomplished and not unexpected start to his professional career.

He fired a final-round 63 in Illinois last Sunday to finish in a share of fourth place. Aberg also impressed Donald by shooting 65 and 67 when playing with the skipper the previous week in Detroit.

Donald has admitted the youngster, who only turned pro in June, is firmly on his radar for the Italian job coming up in September.

Hojgaard is another who has been closely watched. His bid for a Ryder debut gathered momentum with his extraordinary win in his native Denmark last Sunday.

By beating Nacho Elvira in a tense play3-off that lasted six holes at the Made in HimmerLand event, the 22-year-old claimed his fourth DP World title.

He burst into contention with a brilliant closing 64 and held his nerve superbly to become the first home player to win an event that means so much to Danish golf.

It was an important return to form for a player who had struggled to live up to expectations for much of this year. A share of third place at the KLM Open in May being the only highlight until this victory.

There are probably four places up for grabs in the European Ryder Cup team given Jon Rahm, Rory McIlroy, Viktor Hovland, Matt Fitzpatrick, Tyrrell Hatton, Tommy Fleetwood, Justin Rose and Shane Lowry are regarded as near certainties.

There promises to be an almighty scramble to catch the eye of the skipper for the remaining spots. Massive events are looming, starting with this week's Genesis Scottish Open at the Renaissance Club followed by The Open at Hoylake.

Straka, Aberg and Hojgaard have given themselves a head start. Like Hull, they are young guns having some fun.