Latest news with #NicolaiHojgaard
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Mail
How Captain America Keegan Bradley can take centre stage as Ryder Cup drama hots up ahead of Bethpage
Keegan Bradley, the USA Ryder Cup captain, birdied the 6th at Royal Portrush on Saturday afternoon and pumped his fist in delight. 'Boston, baby,' an American voice in the crowd shouted out. 'USA, USA,' another shouted. Bradley, who is ranked a career-high seventh in the world and is ninth in the US Ryder Cup standings, is still vying to become the first playing captain at a Ryder Cupsince Arnold Palmer helmed the US team in 1963, and his strong showing on the Dunluce Links course has kept him in the hunt. His form, though, has given the US team a problem as it wrestles with the complications of having a playing captain in an era when the size of the Ryder Cup and the responsibilities of the team captains dwarf the way things used to be when Palmer doubled up more than 60 years ago. The possibility of the dual role throws up all sorts of interesting questions. If he does not qualify automatically for the US team, could he make himself one of his own captain's picks? When he is playing here at The Open, is he prioritising his own game or studying the form of his players and his European opponents. He got a close look at Nicolai Hojgaard, who has an outside chance of making the European team, because Hojgaard was his playing partner. Hojgaard also outscored him, shooting a 69 compared to Bradley's 70 — which was not the most propitious omen. Against that, Bradley's showing here should be put in the context that he has missed the cut at his previous five appearances at The Open. He shot a three under par 68 on Friday and said it was the best round he had played at the tournament 'in a very long time'. Bradley's solid start kept him in the mix at the Open but will he pick himself for the Ryder Cup? After he sunk that birdie on the 6th, Bradley walked down the steep, grassy path to the 7th tee and looked up at the groups of spectators ranged high on the dunes that funnel the fairway towards the green. The binoculars that they held up to their eyes were not trained on him. They were trained on the group ahead and, specifically, they were trained on Rory McIlroy, who had a chance for eagle. By then, the golf course was in thrall to its local hero as he raced up the leaderboard and Bradley had a front row seat. It was his fate on Saturday to be in the group behind McIlroy and English player Jordan Smith and to feel the passion and the popularity that Europe's Ryder Cup leader can generate with the brilliance of his game and the power of his personality. McIlroy, of course, will not have the same fanatical support he has enjoyed here in his homeland over the last few days when Europe take on Bradley's USA team at Bethpage Black, near New York, in the last weekend of September in front of a hostile, partisan, US crowd. But Bradley spent the afternoon listening to the roars that rolled over the course as McIlroy shot a brilliant 66, the highlight of a which was a mammoth 56ft putt for eagle on the par-5 12th, which helped to push him towards the top of the leaderboard. Bradley's consolation in all this was that Scottie Scheffler, the jewel in the crown of the US team, was still sitting serenely at the head of the pack, apparently impervious to any pressure that McIlroy or Matt Fitzpatrick tried to exert on him. Bradley, 39, finished the day on -4 and if he maintains his form on Sunday, he will gain ground on both Ben Griffin and Collin Morikawa, who are immediately ahead of him in the US Ryder Cup rankings. It would continue an impressive run of form for the Vermont native, who had runner-up finishes last season at the Sony Open in Hawaii and the Charles Schwab Challenge before he won the BMW Championship. He made a strong start to this year with five top-20 finishes in his first seven starts, tied for eighth at the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow and then came from three back with four holes to play to claim a one-shot victory at the Travelers Championship last month at TPC River Highlands. After The Open, the build-up to the Ryder Cup will begin in earnest and now that it is only two months away, the obsession with whether Bradley will play and, if he does, whether he will retain the captaincy, is growingand growing. 'Being inside the ropes is almost like a sanctuary,' he said recently. 'One of the things of being a captain is when I get inside the ropes, I can really focus on just playing. Normally when I leave the tournament, I'm still hyper-focused on what I did that day, what's coming up or what swing thought I'm working on. 'Now I leave just focused on the Ryder Cup. Worrying about my own game has been taken over and I think that helps. I do know that nothing about picking the team is going to be easy. 'If I get to that position where I finish outside the top six but I feel like I'm going to help the team, then I'll consider playing. But I get asked that question 10 times a day and I still don't really have an answer.' Some things are becoming clearer, mostly that Scheffler and McIlroy will be titanic leaders for the US and Europe at Bethpage Black. But Bradley's role is still mired in doubt. The US team may be searching for some clarity about whether Bradley will play as well as captain, or just captain, or just play, but there is only confusion. A top 10 finish on Sunday remains very much within his reach. The rest, his performances keep saying, can wait.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Hojgaard twins in top 10 at British Open for another cool sight at Royal Portrush
PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland (AP) — Nicolai Hojgaard remembers his amateur days when things got tense during a playoff with his twin brother Rasmus. 'Back then we couldn't handle those situations,' he said. Now they're feeding off them. Adding to the many cool sights at Royal Portrush's historic links this week was the British Open leaderboard on Friday showing 24-year-old Danish twins pretty much next to each other. Rasmus tied for fifth. Nicolai tied for 10th, a stroke back. And they both have designs on lifting the claret jug. 'Hopefully we'll have a good weekend,' Nicolai said, 'and maybe battle it out on Sunday.' The Hojgaard brothers — who, in 2023, became the first twins to play at golf's oldest championship — have been pretty much inseparable since they turned pro in 2019, having first hit a golf ball at the age of 4. They were soon champions on the European tour, even winning on consecutive weeks in August-September 2021 — another first on the tour for a pair of brothers. Since last year, they have both had cards to play on the PGA Tour. In fact, don't put it past them to be teaming up at the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black in September. 'We couldn't handle each other's success when we were younger,' Nicolai said, 'but we can do that now and support each other and get motivated by each other. When you get older, you get slightly more mature.' The big question now is who will be the first to win a major title? And will it happen this week? 'I'm going to root for him,' Rasmus said, 'until we are on Sunday, back nine.' Rasmus has a one-shot advantage over his brother and also the positive experience of a big links victory in Ireland last year, when he birdied his last three holes to win the Irish Open at the expense of Rory McIlroy at Royal County Down. Nicolai has a better Open record, though, making the cut three times and having a best finish of tied for 23rd at Hoylake in 2023. Rasmus has got to the weekend once, tying for 60th at Royal Troon last year. Keegan and the Ryder Cup U.S. Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley already was in the conversation to be the first playing captain since 1963 when he won the Travelers Championship last month. And then he shot 67 to stay in the mix at the British Open. Points are worth one-and-a-half in the majors (one point equals $1,000). Bradley is No. 9 in the U.S. standings with the top six qualifying, and then he has six captain's picks. One of them could be him. 'I'm going to look at myself as just another player,' Bradley said. 'We have to look at every single possibility, just like we'd look at any other player in my position. Anybody in the top 12 or top 15 or top 20, you want to look at the player that's playing the best.' The PGA Tour has two regular tournaments left and then two $20 million playoff events before the end of qualifying. The picks are made after the Tour Championship ends on Aug. 24. 'If I continue my play, then we'll talk about this,' Bradley said. 'But you never know how this golf thing is.' No more amateurs There will be no silver medal handed out on the 18th green at Royal Portrush on Sunday. Nine amateurs started out on Thursday and all are headed home. That hasn't happened at a completed Open Championship since 2019. To win the silver medal for low amateur, a player must complete 72 holes. The best-placed amateur in the 156-player field was Ethan Fang, an American who shot 75-70 to finish on 3-over par. Extended stay Chris Gotterup might have thought he'd be in the British Isles for only a week when he came over for the Scottish Open, the warmup event for the Open Championship. The American wound up outlasting Rory McIlroy to win in North Berwick on Sunday for his second PGA Tour title, securing a spot in the field at Royal Portrush in the process. Gotterup is sticking around for the weekend there, too, with a second-round 65 lifting him to fifth place. He was flying solo in Scotland last week and his parents have since come over to watch his British Open debut. His girlfriend was thinking of coming over but it didn't work out. 'I feel like if I had a ton of people here, it's always fun, but it just drains you a little bit with entertaining,' he said. Gotterup wasn't allowing himself to think of winning again. 'I felt like I was playing with house money coming into the weekend, or into the week in general,' he said. 'I'm happy to be where I'm at." The imperfect 10 Shaun Norris of South Africa played some reasonable golf on Friday. He had four birdies against only two bogeys. He made 11 pars. Unfortunately for Norris, that only adds up to 17 holes. The other hole was a 10 on the par-4 fourth hole. 'One hole killed me today, so it was a fight there on in,' Norris said after a hard-earned 75. Here's the quick summary: A drive out-of-bounds. A third shot into a fairway bunker. Four shots to get out of the pot bunker. An approach that missed the green. A chip. And a 7-foot putt to save sextuple-bogey 10. 'I hit a very poor tee shot, the first one,' he said. 'Then proceeded to hit the next one straight in the bunker. Now I'm trying to chase something, trying to make the best score out of it. Unfortunately, the fourth shot caught the lip, then stuck with the same club and tried to do the same. 'After that, the mind sort of went a little bit numb. But it happens. Golf is golf. There's nothing you can do about it. Made a number, and I had to accept it and carry on.' ___ AP golf:
Associated Press
3 days ago
- Sport
- Associated Press
Hojgaard twins in top 10 at British Open for another cool sight at Royal Portrush
PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland (AP) — Nicolai Hojgaard remembers his amateur days when things got tense during a playoff with his twin brother Rasmus. 'Back then we couldn't handle those situations,' he said. Now they're feeding off them. Adding to the many cool sights at Royal Portrush's historic links this week was the British Open leaderboard on Friday showing 24-year-old Danish twins pretty much next to each other. Rasmus tied for fifth. Nicolai tied for 10th, a stroke back. And they both have designs on lifting the claret jug. 'Hopefully we'll have a good weekend,' Nicolai said, 'and maybe battle it out on Sunday.' The Hojgaard brothers — who, in 2023, became the first twins to play at golf's oldest championship — have been pretty much inseparable since they turned pro in 2019, having first hit a golf ball at the age of 4. They were soon champions on the European tour, even winning on consecutive weeks in August-September 2021 — another first on the tour for a pair of brothers. Since last year, they have both had cards to play on the PGA Tour. In fact, don't put it past them to be teaming up at the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black in September. 'We couldn't handle each other's success when we were younger,' Nicolai said, 'but we can do that now and support each other and get motivated by each other. When you get older, you get slightly more mature.' The big question now is who will be the first to win a major title? And will it happen this week? 'I'm going to root for him,' Rasmus said, 'until we are on Sunday, back nine.' Rasmus has a one-shot advantage over his brother and also the positive experience of a big links victory in Ireland last year, when he birdied his last three holes to win the Irish Open at the expense of Rory McIlroy at Royal County Down. Nicolai has a better Open record, though, making the cut three times and having a best finish of tied for 23rd at Hoylake in 2023. Rasmus has got to the weekend once, tying for 60th at Royal Troon last year. Keegan and the Ryder Cup U.S. Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley already was in the conversation to be the first playing captain since 1963 when he won the Travelers Championship last month. And then he shot 67 to stay in the mix at the British Open. Points are worth one-and-a-half in the majors (one point equals $1,000). Bradley is No. 9 in the U.S. standings with the top six qualifying, and then he has six captain's picks. One of them could be him. 'I'm going to look at myself as just another player,' Bradley said. 'We have to look at every single possibility, just like we'd look at any other player in my position. Anybody in the top 12 or top 15 or top 20, you want to look at the player that's playing the best.' The PGA Tour has two regular tournaments left and then two $20 million playoff events before the end of qualifying. The picks are made after the Tour Championship ends on Aug. 24. 'If I continue my play, then we'll talk about this,' Bradley said. 'But you never know how this golf thing is.' No more amateurs There will be no silver medal handed out on the 18th green at Royal Portrush on Sunday. Nine amateurs started out on Thursday and all are headed home. That hasn't happened at a completed Open Championship since 2019. To win the silver medal for low amateur, a player must complete 72 holes. The best-placed amateur in the 156-player field was Ethan Fang, an American who shot 75-70 to finish on 3-over par. Extended stay Chris Gotterup might have thought he'd be in the British Isles for only a week when he came over for the Scottish Open, the warmup event for the Open Championship. The American wound up outlasting Rory McIlroy to win in North Berwick on Sunday for his second PGA Tour title, securing a spot in the field at Royal Portrush in the process. Gotterup is sticking around for the weekend there, too, with a second-round 65 lifting him to fifth place. He was flying solo in Scotland last week and his parents have since come over to watch his British Open debut. His girlfriend was thinking of coming over but it didn't work out. 'I feel like if I had a ton of people here, it's always fun, but it just drains you a little bit with entertaining,' he said. Gotterup wasn't allowing himself to think of winning again. 'I felt like I was playing with house money coming into the weekend, or into the week in general,' he said. 'I'm happy to be where I'm at.' The imperfect 10 Shaun Norris of South Africa played some reasonable golf on Friday. He had four birdies against only two bogeys. He made 11 pars. Unfortunately for Norris, that only adds up to 17 holes. The other hole was a 10 on the par-4 fourth hole. 'One hole killed me today, so it was a fight there on in,' Norris said after a hard-earned 75. Here's the quick summary: A drive out-of-bounds. A third shot into a fairway bunker. Four shots to get out of the pot bunker. An approach that missed the green. A chip. And a 7-foot putt to save sextuple-bogey 10. 'I hit a very poor tee shot, the first one,' he said. 'Then proceeded to hit the next one straight in the bunker. Now I'm trying to chase something, trying to make the best score out of it. Unfortunately, the fourth shot caught the lip, then stuck with the same club and tried to do the same. 'After that, the mind sort of went a little bit numb. But it happens. Golf is golf. There's nothing you can do about it. Made a number, and I had to accept it and carry on.' ___ AP golf:
The Independent
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Identical twins Rasmus and Nicolai Hojgaard shine on day two at Royal Portrush
Danish identical twins Rasmus and Nicolai Hojgaard made it a family affair on day two of The Open after both shooting under par to sit inside the top 10. Rasmus, younger by a couple of minutes, carded a 68 which was one better than his sibling and lifted him to the group on five under. Nicolai is one back in a tie for 10th. 'It's cool to see Ras playing well this week. I saw him quite early on the leaderboard, and I kind of wanted to follow it up,' said Nicolai. 'A little frustrated I didn't manage to get to minus five where he is. I felt like the round had potential. 'I cheer him on and am happy to see him play well, but I also want to beat him. But it's a good relationship and hopefully we'll have a good weekend and maybe battle it out on Sunday. 'We couldn't handle each other's success when we were younger, but we can do that now and support each other and get motivated by each other. When you get older, you get slightly more mature.' They were the first twins to appear at the Masters in April, the 24-year-olds arriving at their pre-tournament news conference dressed identically – although they insisted that was a random coincidence. World number 70 Rasmus has five DP World Tour wins, Nicolai, ranked 93, has three – but is a Ryder Cup winner after success in Rome two years ago and now plays on the PGA Tour. Rasmus also wants his brother to do well – until the closing stages of the final round. He added: 'I'm going to root for him until we are on Sunday back nine.'
France 24
3 days ago
- Sport
- France 24
Hojgaard twins hoping for British Open showdown
Rasmus Hojgaard carded a three-under second round of 68 to reach five-under for the tournament, three shots behind clubhouse leaders Brian Harman and Li Haotong. Nicolai Hojgaard threatened to match him, but had to settle for a 69 and a four-under halfway total when a birdie putt stopped on the edge of the 18th hole. "I saw him quite early on the leaderboard, and I kind of wanted to follow it up," said Nicolai. "A little frustrated I didn't manage to get to five (under) where he is." The 24-year-olds have both enjoyed brilliant starts to their professional careers, but they are yet to fight it out in the latter stages of a major. "I'm going to root for him until we are on Sunday's back nine," said Rasmus. Nicolai added: "I cheer him on and happy to see him play well, but I also want to beat him. "But it's a good relationship, and hopefully we'll have a good weekend and maybe battle it out on Sunday." Rasmus has won five European Tour titles to Nicolai's three, although the latter was part of Europe's winning Ryder Cup team in 2023. Nicolai said in the past they struggled to support each other. "We played some amateur events where we were in a play-off, and it was pretty tense," admitted the world number 93. "But now our relationship is better, and back then we couldn't handle those situations. We can do that now. Let's see what happens this weekend. "Hopefully we'll get a chance to play with each other." The twins are also fighting it out for places at the Ryder Cup in September. Rasmus currently sits seventh in the European standings, one place outside the automatic spots, while Nicolai, down in 30th spot, needs a big finish in Northern Ireland. © 2025 AFP
