Nicolai Hojgaard Player Profile And What's In The Bag

Nicolai Hojgaard shot a final round of 64 to beat a world-class field by two strokes at the season-ending DP World Tour Championship.

He saw off the challenges of Tommy Fleetwood, Matt Wallace and Viktor Hovland, who all finished joint second on 19 under par.

Hojgaard said: “This is the sweetest win. I have put in so much hard work. It has been a really good year and the only thing that was missing was a win, especially against this field. I missed a short putt on the last and thought my chance had gone. I was so focussed all week. This win is for my family, who have given me so much support over the years.

“I finished with five birdies but I was just focussed on myself. To walk up 18 knowing I had a chance to win was special. This is up there with the best golf of my life against the strongest field. I felt good before I went out.

“Getting into the top 50 in the world is really special too. It is just the sweetest way to finish the year.”

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

For much of the final round it looked like the title was going to Fleetwood but he let it get away. The Dane had led after days one and two at Jumeirah Golf Estates but entered the final round three shots off the pace before pulling himself into contention with a front nine of 33.

He was back on top with a birdie on the 10th and then reeled off five birdies in a row from the 13th to get to 21 under and hold off the challenge of his Ryder Cup team-mates Fleetwood and Hovland, and overnight leader Wallace.

Hovland could only scramble a closing par after finding the hazard with his approach into the par-five last and Wallace found water off the tee, with Hojgaard's third DP World Tour victory confirmed when Fleetwood was unable to hole his third shot from the fairway.

The chasing trio all carded closing pars to end the week in tied-second on 19 under, with defending champion Jon Rahm sharing fifth after a final-round 66 and Race to Dubai winner Rory McIlroy signing off his season in tied-22nd after a two-under 70.

There was a moment of madness involving Dutch golfer Joost Luiten. After dropping his second shot of the day at the eighth, his frustrations boiled over when he struck an errant tee shot at the ninth.

His reaction was to throw his driver up a tree and it got stuck in the branches. He then tried to retrieve the club by throwing two other clubs at it - and both of those also got stuck in the branches of the tree.

“I had just made bogey at the eighth,” he said. “I was frustrated, one of those weeks [when] nothing went my way. Lost it and threw my driver and it got stuck up a tree. That sums up my week nicely.

“I tried to get it out by throwing some other clubs at it and [two] other clubs got stuck up the tree so I couldn’t get them out.”

(Image Credit: Kevin Diss Photography)

Player Profile

Nicolai Hojgaard was born in Billund, Denmark, on March 12, 2001. 

As an amateur he won the 2018 European Amateur and was part of the Danish team that won the 2018 Eisenhower Trophy. In 2021, he and his twin brother Rasmus became the first brothers to win in back-to-back weeks on the European Tour.

Hojgaard had a successful 2018. In April he won a professional tournament, the Bravo Tours Open on the Nordic Golf League. In June he was second in the individual competition for the boys Toyota Junior World Cup, four strokes behind his brother Rasmus. Denmark also won the team competition. Two weeks later he won the European Amateur, which got him a place in The Open. He played for Europe in the Junior Ryder Cup and represented Denmark in the Youth Olympic Games.

Hojgaard turned professional at the start of 2019. He played a mixture of Nordic Golf League and Challenge Tour events. In September he was runner-up in the KLM Open, one stroke behind Sergio Garcia.

In September 2021, Hojgaard won his first DP World Tour event at the Italian Open. His twin brother Rasmus had won the week before at the European Masters.

He picked up his second victory in February 2022 at the Ras Al Khaimah Championship, shooting 24 under par for four rounds.

In September 2023, Hojgaard played for Europe in the Ryder Cup.

He began the week in 10th place in the Race to Dubai and in 70th place in the world rankings. He finished it in second place in the Race to Dubai and he is now inside the top 50, guaranteeing him a place in all four majors next season.

Last 10 Events

DP World Tour Championship - 1st

Nedbank Golf Challenge - 2nd

Zozo Championship - T31st

Shriners Children's Open - T56th

BMW PGA Championship - T64th

Omega European Masters - T5th

Czech Masters - T3rd

Wyndham Championship - T14th

3M Open - CUT

The 151st Open - T23rd

Key Stats

Driving Distance - 316.73 Yards

Driving Accuracy - 56.23%

Greens in Regulation - 70.72%

Sand Saves - 58.95%

Putts Per Round - 29.03

Scoring Average - 69.61

WITB

Driver: Callaway Paradym Triple Diamond (10.5°) - Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Pro White 70-TX Shaft

Fairway: Callaway Prototype (16.5°)

Irons: Callaway Apex MB ’21, 4-10

Wedges: Callaway Mack Daddy 5 50°; Callaway JAWS Raw 56° & 60°

Putter: Odyssey O-Works Jailbird Mini

Golf Ball: Callaway Chrome Soft X Triple Track