Nicolai Hojgaard is set to make his debut at the Ryder Cup 2023. With back-to-back top five finishes in the final two events of the European Ryder Cup qualification, Hojgaard earned a Captain’s pick from Luke Donald. The 22 year old impressed with a tie for fifth at the Ryder Cup venue Marco Simone at the DS Automobiles Italian Open – the event and venue he won at in 2021- and once again among a strong field at the Genesis Scottish Open, where he finished tied sixth.
Nicolai Hojgaard: “It’s a special week”
Nicolai, your first Ryder Cup. Talk about the experience so far of being in the team room and being out on the golf course for 18 holes yesterday.
Nicolai Hojgaard: Yeah, it’s a special week. You’re sitting next to your idols and heros and you’re going out preparing for a big week. It’s pretty cool to be here and preparing and being in the team room and seeing the stuff that goes behind it. That surprise Luke made yesterday with our shirts next to each other and then Seve’s in the middle, it was special and emotional, and that’s what this week is about.
You talked about some of your heros on this team have said if there’s anything they could do to help you, don’t hesitate, you can ask them anything. Have you been asking them anything, and what sorts of things have they been telling you?
Nicolai Hojgaard: I think the good part of all this is they have been in the same position that I’m in now. They got the rookies — obviously Rory and Rahm and Rose, those guys have been here a lot. They were rookies at one point as well, and they had guys, they had questions. So being in the same position as them, trying to learn from the best is pretty cool. It’s about how you prepare for this week going in as a rookie compared to when you’re an experienced guy.
Is there anything you arrived worrying about?
Nicolai Hojgaard: I wouldn’t say probably worried but more about making sure that we are all part of the team and we are all interacting with each other and we all make that team room the best possible place to go. Everyone is very good at it, and you always are like a little worried or scared getting into a team room where you haven’t been before, and you’re getting into a team room with your idols, the guys you’ve been looking up to your whole life. Sometimes you’re here and you have to pinch yourself a little bit, but it’s reality now and now it’s about going and preparing those guys and get ready for Friday.
What’s the best thing you’ve experienced or the thing that’s pleased you most since you’ve arrived here? Doesn’t have to be golf-related.
Nicolai Hojgaard: I think being in that team room yesterday, Seve’s shirt in the middle, and we all talked about all the guys and heros before us and keeping that legacy going and the DNA of The European Team. You hear about it, but once you’re in that team room, you get goosebumps just talking about it, and what it means to Europe and European golf. That’s been obviously the biggest or the coolest experience.
Do you feel confident to express your thoughts in that environment?
Nicolai Hojgaard: I do, yeah. I feel like we’ve got a very good environment in that room. You can say whatever — we all have the same goal. We are all part of the same team. We all focus and determine on the job ahead, and that’s why I think it’s such a cool place to go.
Nicolai Hojgaard is the youngest player at the Ryder Cup 2023
You are 22 years old and the youngest player in the Ryder Cup. Tell us how you feel as such a young prodigy playing in the Ryder Cup?
Nicolai Hojgaard: Yeah, I don’t think about it that much, actually. There’s a lot of young players in both teams, and it’s not really something I think about. But in the end of the day, it’s a cool achievement being the youngest I think on both teams. It’s just a cool thing to say that you’re playing in the Ryder Cup when you’re 22. It’s not really that important. It’s just more of a cool thing to say, I’d probably say.
If you can tell us specifically some of the things Luke Donald has done for you?
Nicolai Hojgaard: When I started playing a little bit in America this year, he was very good to me. We were out for dinners and lunch and always interacted during the weeks. That’s probably where I learned (about) Luke. He’s been a very important part of all this process, of course. That’s the thing about America, I’d say you feel probably a little bit alone in some way because you’re in a different environment you’re not normally used to.
Can you identify a point where you thought, I might be able to make this Ryder Cup 2023 Team? Was there a point you thought you would be a part of this?
Nicolai Hojgaard: When I started the season, I wasn’t really thinking about it too much. We put a plan in place at the start of the year where this was one of the goals, and there was two goals on that list. We tried to focus on how would we build our game to get in the Ryder Cup, and I could see slowly when the season went on that there were some good things in place and that happened. And then when we got to Prague and Switzerland, I played some good golf where I needed to, and I feel like I’ve been doing that for a long time. Probably really haven’t had like the really top results, but it’s been on the right track for a long time. A couple good finish there probably put me in a position where I’ve probably done my part and hopefully that will be enough. But I’ve always had in mind that I think I could be on the team and I get on the team golf-wise, and yeah, sitting here now is pretty special.
Nicolai, thanks for joining us. We wish you well this week.