Nicolai Højgaard relishing ‘marathon’ Open challenge after late dash to Royal Portrush

On the back of his best result so far this season, Nicolai Højgaard has the wind in his sails again.

An impressive final-round 64 at the Genesis Scottish Open on Sunday helped the Dane finish in a tie for fourth and secure one of the last spots on offer in the field at the Open Championship.

So, while he may have left it late to qualify, doing so in the manner he did when the pressure was on has only fuelled his excitement further at Royal Portrush.

“I am coming in with some good confidence in my game, which is good to see in links golf,” said Højgaard.

“Coming here on a course which I think is really cool is nice, but it is a different week.

“It is a harder set up, it demands more. I am ready for that challenge.

“I am just excited to be here. I wasn’t initially going to be here until I had a great week [in Scotland] which was the goal.

ROME, ITALY - SEPTEMBER 29: Nicolai Hpjgaard of Denmark and The European Team plays his second shot on the 12th hole in his match with Jon Rahm against Brooks Koepka and Scottie Scheffler of The United States Team during the Friday afternoon four-ball matches of the 2023 Ryder Cup at Marco Simone Golf Club on September 29, 2023 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images)

“I am enjoying it so far. I will get competitive when Thursday comes but I am just super excited to get going.”

Højgaard, who also secured his spot at The Open in 2023 through Scotland’s national open, the final event in the Open Qualifying Series, has struggled for momentum this year.

A true international player, competing across both the PGA TOUR and DP World Tour for the last two seasons, the 23-year-old saw his world ranking drop from just outside the top 60 to 122nd before he teed it up at the Renaissance Club last week.

But after his second top ten of the year, he is back inside the top 100 and will hope to enjoy a stretch of form comparable to what he enjoyed in the summer of 2023 that ultimately helped lead him to a Captain’s Pick for the Ryder Cup at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club.

Then, he went from a tie for sixth place at Scotland’s national Open to finishing tied 23rd in The Open at Royal Liverpool before back-to-back top fives in the Czech Republic and Switzerland.

It remains to be seen what impetus he can take from last week over the closing events of the Ryder Cup qualification period, but Højgaard is hoping his ever-growing experience of Major weeks will serve him well as he looks to impress on his fifth start at The Open.

“It is a marathon every time you play these events,” he said.

“It’s a cliché but it is one hole at a time, you have got to get yourself into the tournament and slowly take one step at a time because you never know what is going to happen.

“Staying patient and giving it my all are my two keys this week.

“It’s a good balance. You want to play carefree, you want to be fearless when you are out there.

“You have got to convince yourself that this is the way to contend in these events, by giving it your all.”

While Højgaard was yet to turn professional when The Open was last held at Portrush in 2019, this is not his first competitive experience of the County Antrim layout.

In 2018, he competed at the Boys Amateur Championship, and just like so many in action this week he is a big fan of the challenge it poses as he joined twin brother Rasmus for a practice round on Tuesday.

“It’s pretty cool to be back at this golf course,” he explained. “It is going to play different winds on tournament days, but it is tricky.

ROME, ITALY - OCTOBER 01: Nicolai Hojgaard of Team Europe poses for a photograph with the Ryder Cup trophy following the Sunday singles matches of the 2023 Ryder Cup at Marco Simone Golf Club on October 01, 2023 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)

“The goal is to just focus on seeing how the course is playing but it is a great set up so far.”

One of the standout holes is the 236-yard par three 16th – named Calamity Corner – where drama is an inevitability as the hopes of those in the mix to win the Claret Jug could be placed in jeopardy with an errant tee shot.

It’s position at the highest point of the course ensures little protection from the wind that blows in from the Atlantic Coast.

And while there may not be any bunkers, the green falls away dramatically to the right to leave a deep chasm waiting for any errant tee shots.

Asked to assess the challenge it will pose, Højgaard said: “It’s a tricky hole. It’s down off the right, it can be tough to get the shot right.

“The greens are so firm, we [Nicolai and Rasmus] both pitched it around the flag and both went long.

“It’s a great hole, it will be a great finishing stretch so hopefully I can be there late on a Sunday battling it out over these holes coming in, but we’re a long way from there.”