Nicolai Hojgaard

Left it as late as possible to join his twin brother Rasmus for last year's Open at Royal Liverpool, taking the last of the three Open Qualifying Series places up for grabs at the Genesis Scottish Open on the previous Sunday.

Two months later, however, he was making his Ryder Cup debut as one of Luke Donald’s six wild cards, halving his opening fourball match alongside Jon Rahm.

The Hojgaard brothers are both back at Royal Troon off last season’s Race to Dubai standings, Nicolai finishing runner-up to Rory McIlroy after a brilliant victory at the DP World Tour Championship in November.

His Open debut at Carnoustie in 2018 was as European amateur champion and the twins then became Eisenhower Trophy world team champions in Ireland, pipping by one stroke an American line-up which included Collin Morikawa.

That was Denmark’s first triumph in the event and three years later they shared more history as the first brothers to win back-to-back DP World Tour events. Rasmus struck first at the Omega European Masters (the third of his four Tour titles), then Nicolai lifted the Italian Open.

Both have since made it into the world’s top 100, Nicolai registering his second Tour win at the 2022 Ras Al Khaimah Championship and in January finishing runner-up to Matthieu Pavon at the Farmers Insurance Open in California – on the same weekend that Rasmus was second in the Ras Al Khaimah Championship.