Hojgaard twins join elite field at Abu Dhabi C’ship

Højgaard twins Rasmus and Nicolai earned their places in the first event of the DP World Tour Play-Offs after qualifying for the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, taking place at Yas Links from Nov.7-10.

With just one week to go until the 19th edition of the event, the Danish pair join the worldclass field set to compete in Abu Dhabi in the fourth Rolex Series event of the season, which is the first tournament in the new-look season-ending Play-Offs.

The top 70 available players from the Race to Dubai Rankings in partnership with Rolex will compete next week in Abu Dhabi, with the top 50 then advancing to the season-ending DP World Tour Championship.

Also teeing it up at Yas Links will be four-time Major winner and defending Race to Dubai champion Rory McIlroy, fellow Major Champions Shane Lowry, Justin Rose and Adam Scott and Olympic Silver Medallist Tommy Fleetwood among a host of DP World Tour stars.

Rasmus is currently in third position on the Race to Dubai Rankings, thanks to an impressive 2024 campaign which saw him win his fifth DP World Tour title at the Amgen Irish Open at Royal County Down in September.

He is just under 2,000 points behind McIlroy in the season-long standings, but a strong performance at Yas Links would give him an outside chance of claiming the Race to Dubai if he were to emulate his twin brother’s success from last year and win the DP World Tour Championship.

It will be his fourth appearance in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, with his best result to date coming on his last outing in 2022 when he finished in a share of 20th place.

“I’m looking forward to finishing my season in the UAE, starting with the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship,” he said.

“The Play-Off concept is an exciting one and I’m hoping for two memorable weeks.

“Going into the final two events knowing that I have a chance of winning the Race to Dubai is very exciting. It’s a different kind of pressure, but I feel up for the challenge.”

Nicolai earned his place in the field in Abu Dhabi after finishing tied ninth at last week’s Genesis Championship.

Following on from successive top-20 results at the FedEx Open de France and Estrella Damm NA Andalucía Masters, the 2023 Ryder Cup star, moved up to 67th on the Rankings to claim a place as he hopes to ascend further still and defend his DP World Tour Championship crown.

“I’m really pleased to have earned my spot in next week’s Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship,” said Nicolai. “My game feels in good shape and there have been a lot of encouraging signs out on the golf course. My results in France, Spain and Korea were really positive and I’m hoping to end the year strong.

“One of my goals for this year was to defend my DP World Tour Championship title, so I’m hoping for a big week at Yas Links to move further up the Rankings and make that Top 50.”

As well the world-class golf taking place at Yas Links, there will be a full programme of events for the whole family to enjoy, including dedicated activities for children, and the popular Ladies Day and Family Day on Saturday and Sunday respectively.

Meanwhile, Ewen Ferguson, a three-time winner of DP World Tour titles, was among those in attendance as Dubai Sports Council on thursday hosted a press conference looking ahead to the season-ending DP World Tour Championship.

The tournament, which forms part of the inaugural DP World Tour Play-Offs, takes place at Jumeirah Golf Estates from Nov.14-17.

Also attending the press conference, held at the Dubai Sports Council Office, were Saeed Hareb, Secretary General, Dubai Sports Council, and Tom Phillips, Director of Middle East for the DP World Tour.

Ferguson said: “It’s always a pleasure to play at the DP World Tour Championship and compete against some of the world’s best players.

“The event is a highlight on the calendar, and one I always want to be involved in, particularly given the quality of the Earth course, one of the best surfaces in the game.

“With great weather and stunning facilities, Dubai is one of the best places in the world to play golf, and I’m really looking forward to the tournament.”

Hareb, the Secretary General of Dubai Sports Council said: “We are pleased that the UAE in general, and Dubai in particular, are a preferred global destination for organizing golf tournaments, where elite players gather for the largest, most expensive and among the most important golf events”.

Agencies