'It is a dream and a goal' - Nicolai Hojgaard and twin brother Rasmus set sights on Ryder Cup qualification
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Updated 13/10/2022 at 14:56 GMT
The Ryder Cup is starting to command attention with it under a year until it kicks off at the Marco Simone Golf and Country Club in Rome. The qualification period is underway and the Hojgaard brothers, Nicolai and Rasmus, have set themselves a goal of representing Team Europe in the bid to wrestle the trophy back from the hands of the United States.
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Nicolai Hojgaard and his twin brother Rasmus have their sights trained on representing Europe together at the Ryder Cup.
The 2023 Ryder Cup qualification period is underway and as two of the brightest young talents in the game, there is attention on the Danes.
Europe captain Luke Donald and his assistant Thomas Bjorn have had close looks at them this year, suggesting they are in the conversation for spots on the team in Rome next year.
The Hojgaards have represented Europe at the Junior Ryder Cup, and would love to line up together against the United States.
“It is a big goal for both of us,” Nicolai Hojgaard said. “To do it together would be pretty cool.
“It is something we want to do in 2023, but it is a long way off. There is so much golf to be played, but it is a dream and a goal of ours.
“We would love to play a morning foursomes together, that is a goal we have. We did it in the Junior Ryder Cup.
“We will try our best every day to get to that team. If it’s not 2023, we will try again for 2025.
"We are working on it and doing everything to be a part of the team.”
Should the Hojgaards make the team and play together, they could keep their plans out of the minds of the United States team by speaking Danish.
Or they could communicate in their own private language, which Nicolai says is commonplace among twins.
“When you are growing up we learned a certain language only me and Ras can understand,” Nicolai said. “I think that is true for other twins as well. It’s something you can’t explain, it is always there.”
On that subject, Rasmus added: “We can read each other from distance. If we are at a social event we can look at each other and know what we are going to say to each other.”
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As you would expect, the Hojgaards are extremely close - but there was not always support for each other.
"When Ras is playing well, I remember in France he was really close and I could feel it as well,” Nicolai said. “I wanted to play some good golf and wasn't at the time, so I was motivated to play well by him.
“We support each other. If the other is playing well we are out there, waiting on the 18th green and supporting each other. It is not about who wins between us, it is about supporting each other.
“We have learned to do that over the years. A few years ago we would not do that.”
The Ryder Cup gets underway at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club on September 29, 2023.
Donald’s side will head to Rome as the underdogs, following the chastening defeat at Whistling Straits in 2021.
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