Rasmus Hojgaard Player Profile And What's In The Bag

Article Updated in September 2024

Rory McIlroy suffered another bitter disappointment as Rasmus Hojgaard produced a brilliant finish to snatch the Irish Open at Royal County Down.

McIlroy looked on course to claim his first professional win on home soil when he led by two shots with four holes to play at a venue just an hour from where he grew up.

However, while Hojgaard completed a superb closing 65 with four birdies in the last five holes, McIlroy crucially bogeyed the 17th and then agonisingly missed an eagle putt on the 18th which would have forced a playoff.

• Player Profile
• Last 10 Events
• Key Stats
• World Ranking
• What's In The Bag

McIlroy had taken a one-shot lead into the final round and made the ideal start with birdies on the first and second.

With playing partner Matteo Manassero then dropping shots on the third and fourth, McIlroy briefly enjoyed a four-shot lead before making a bogey on the seventh after failing to get up and down from left of the green.

McIlroy then missed from inside 10 feet for birdie on both the eighth and the ninth as Hojgaard kickstarted his challenge with an outrageous chip-in for birdie on the 10th.

A birdie on the 11th edged McIlroy two in front again, but that advantage was wiped out as Hojgaard birdied the 16th and McIlroy bogeyed the 15th.

Hojgaard then dramatically holed out from a greenside bunker on the 17th and, although McIlroy drew level with a birdie on the 16th, the four-time major winner charged his birdie putt on the 17th past the hole and missed the return.

Hojgaard’s third birdie in a row on the 18th meant McIlroy needed to make an eagle on the same hole to force a playoff and a towering approach from 191 yards gave him a chance from 15 feet, only for the eagle putt to slide just wide.

"It was a hard watch in the end but I had a number today that I was trying to reach, and that was eight (under)," Hojgaard said after securing his fifth DP World Tour title.

"Obviously coming in and finishing on nine was gold and I’m so happy. The game’s been trending for a while now and to get this one is massive.

"On 10 I got away with a good lie. Thought I hit a great chip there and maybe would have been five, six feet past, but then there was a flag in the way.

"And on 17 I was a bit worried I could be plugged in the bunker but coming up to an uphill lie in the bunker gave me a little bit more confidence that I could get it up and down. To hole it was key."

Manassero finished third after a closing 69, with England's Daniel Brown fourth on six under after signing for a fine round of 66.

Player Profile

Hojgaard was born in Billumd, Denmark on March 12, 2001.

In just his fifth event on the DP World Tour, he captured his maiden tour title with an eagle on the third playoff hole at the 2019 AfraAsia Mauritius Bank Open.

He was 18 at the time. He had played on the Challenge Tour in 2019 but narrowly missed out on earning one of the 15 Tour cards after finishing 21st in the Race to Majorca standings.

Hojgaard went on to become the first player born in the 21st century to graduate from European Tour Qualifying School, overcoming a first round 74 to share fifth place in the standings.

His win was almost immediate, following a tie for 49th place at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship with victory in just his second tournament of the season in Mauritius.

He stayed aggressive during a final round 68, hitting a 360 yard drive on the 18th hole and making birdie to earn a spot in a playoff with Renato Paratore and Antoine Rozner

He kept that strategy for the remainder of the playoff, going birdie-birdie before hitting his approach on the third playoff hole to just a few feet and rolling in his eagle putt for victory.

Hojgaard’s victory made him the fastest Dane to win on Tour, beating 15 time winner and 2018 Ryder Cup captain Thomas Bjorn's record of 24 events.

He also won the Made in Himmerland for his fourth on the DP World Tour which took him from 113th to 85th in the world rankings and 12th in the Race to Dubai.

His twin, Nicolai, won the DP World Tour Championship in 2023, securing a PGA Tour card. With this win, Rasmus has also all but guaranteed that he will be joining Nicolai in America next season.

Last 10 Events

Amgen Irish Open - 1st

Omega European Masters - T17th

Betfred British Masters - 3rd

Danish Golf Championship - T53rd

The 152nd Open - T60th

Genesis Scottish Open - T21st

KLM Open - T4th

Volvo Car Scandinavian Mixed - T14th

European Open - CUT

US PGA Championship - T68th

Key Stats

Driving Distance - 314.63 Yards

Driving Accuracy - 49.87%

Greens in Regulation - 68.10%

Sand Saves - 68.12%

Putts Per Round - 28.40

Scoring Average - 69.79

End of Year World Ranking

2020: 87

2021: 96

2022: 102

2023: 85

What's In Rasmus Hojgaard's Golf Bag?

Driver: Callaway Ai Smoke TD 10.5º

Fairway Wood: Callaway Ai Smoke TD U 15º  

Irons: Callaway Apex Pro '24 3-Iron / X Forged '24 4-PW

Wedges: Callaway Opus 52º, 56º & 60º 

Ball: Callaway Chrome Tour X  

Putter: Odyssey Ai-ONE Milled Eight T DB