A rising star from Denmark – who is Nicolai Hojgaard?
This is Nicolai Hojgaard’s debut at the Ryder Cup, and he surely won’t be the only Hojgaard to feature over the next decade…
He is one of four debutants in the European Ryder Cup side. He is the fourth Dane to play in the competition, but who is Nicolai Hojgaard?
The selection of Hojgaard was perhaps the most contentious of Luke Donald‘s six captain’s picks for Team Europe.
However, the 22-year-old is a former winner at Marco Simone, and we could see his twin brother join in the fun in this competition in the next few years.
So the Dane is in the team for the first time, but who is Nicolai Hojgaard?
Joining the Danish Ryder Cup contingent
Nicolai Hojgaard, along with twin brother Rasmus, has taken the DP World Tour by storm over the last couple of years since turning professional.
Born in Denmark in 2001, Hojgaard won the first professional tournament he entered. Despite being an amateur, the Dane was victorious at the Bravo Tours Open on the Swedish Golf Tour.
Perhaps the reason for Hojgaard’s selection in this European team of 12 was his victory at the DS Automobiles Italian Open. That was his first DP World Tour title, and it came at Marco Simone, the host venue of this year’s Ryder Cup.
That win was followed five months later by a second, as he won the Ras Al Khaimah Championship in the United Arab Emirates.
Although he did not win for the next 18 months, the Dane was rewarded for his consistent play with a spot in Luke Donald’s Ryder Cup. The Englishman chose Hojgaard as one of his captain’s picks for the event in Rome.
After sitting out the morning foursomes session on Friday, the Dane did not show any nerves. First hole, first Ryder Cup birdie – and in some style.
Opening birdie for Nicolai Hojgaard!
— Sky Sports Golf (@SkySportsGolf) September 29, 2023
This putt pic.twitter.com/ZCqKN2gkEn
NOW READ: Nicolai Hojgaard – What’s In The Bag
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Nicolai Hojgaard
When and where was Nicolai Hojgaard born?
Nicolai Hojgaard was born on March 12, 2001 in Billund, Denmark. Both he and twin brother Rasmus began playing the sport at the age of four.
When did Nicolai Hojgaard turn professional?
Hojgaard turned professional in 2019 at the age of just 18. He had already secured victory at a pro event, though, winning on the Swedish Golf Tour as an amateur the year previous.
How many DP World Tour titles has Nicolai Hojgaard won?
As of September 2023, the Dane has won twice on the DP World Tour. His maiden victory came on Ryder Cup host course Marco Simone, winning the DS Automobiles Italian Open in September 2021. Five months later, he won again on the DPWT, this time at the Ras Al Khaimah Championship.
Did you Know?
Winning Twins
Nicolai’s twin brother Rasmus is also a professional golfer, with the pair turning pro at the same time in 2019. Both men have had success on the DP World Tour. The pair also played in the 2018 Junior Ryder Cup together.
Brothers Making History
Hojgaard followed in his brother footsteps in 2021. Seven days after Rasmus lifted the Omega European Masters trophy in Switzerland, Nicolai was victorious at the DS Automobiles Italian Open. This marked the first time in the DP World Tour’s history that brothers had won successive events.
Fourth Dane In Ryder Cup History
Hojgaard’s appearance at the 2023 Ryder Cup saw him become just the fourth Dane to feature at the competition. Thomas Bjorn, Soren Hansen and Thorbjorn Olesen are the only other men to represent Denmark in this event.
What did you think to the original selection of Nicolai Hojgaard? How will the Dane fare this week in Rome? Let us know your thoughts with a post on X, formerly Twitter!
Matt Coles
Mention a European country, and Matt will tell you which resorts make the National Club Golfer Top 100s: European Resorts list. He might even throw in who designed the golf course and how many rooms the hotel has got at each one…
Matt got into the game of golf from a young age, following his old man to the local golf club. He fell for the sport, and now can’t seem to go a day without thinking about how to improve his game (Thanks Dad!). Matt has been a member of Howley Hall GC in Leeds since 2020, and is just about managing to maintain a single-figure handicap. He likes to remind people that he once broke 75, but won’t tell people that it was on a shortened course during the winter.
He moved to Leeds after graduating from the University of Central Lancashire with a First Class Honours degree in Sports Journalism. Matt joined NCG after almost five years travelling the world with the Professional Squash Association, working on events in all four corners of the globe.
Matt currently plays a Cobra King LTDx driver and RadSpeed 3-wood. TaylorMade monopolise the rest of his bag, with a SIM UDI, M5 irons and both Milled Grind and HI-TOE wedges, along with a Monza Redline putter. He uses a Vice Pro Plus golf ball, because he’s a bit different…
Away from golf, Matt is a Manchester United fan, and a keen runner, having ran the Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon (his first and possibly last), in May 2023.
