By Ryder Cup Europe On September 23, 2025 19:19 UTC
Of the 24 players taking part in this week’s Ryder Cup, there are five who are making their first appearance with Rasmus Højgaard the lone rookie in Team Europe.
While he is by no means a veteran, having only turned 24 earlier this year, he is perhaps as best prepared for his rookie appearance in golf’s greatest team competition as you could hope.
Two years ago, when twin brother Nicolai was making his Ryder Cup bow, Rasmus was part of the backroom team experiencing the unique thrill of the matchplay contest at Marco Simone in Italy.
Having missed out on a spot in Luke Donald’s 12-man team, Rasmus was given the unofficial role of being buggy driver to fellow Dane and European vice-captain Thomas Bjørn.
Call it forward planning, but the insights he will have learned from the in-depth inside look into just what makes a Ryder Cup so special will be invaluable to Rasmus at Bethpage.
Reflecting on the behind-the-scenes experience in Rome two years ago, Rasmus said in a recent edition of the Life on Tour podcast: “It was pretty special to be there and be up close.
ROME, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 30: Thomas Bjorn, Vice Captain of Team Europe and Rasmus Hojgaard look on from a Club Car buggy during the Saturday morning foursomes matches of the 2023 Ryder Cup at Marco Simone Golf Club on September 30, 2023 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)“It’s nice to get a feel of what it is like. It was nice to see Nicolai wearing the uniform, with the 11 other guys and cheering them on.”
Now, in the outskirts of New York City, Rasmus will fulfil a career ambition of representing his continent in golf’s pre-eminent event.
It’s a reality that has long been thought inevitable, having announced himself on the international stage as a 17-year-old in 2018 when he won the Eisenhower Trophy for Denmark alongside twin Nicolai and John Axelsen, and played with his brother at the Junior Ryder Cup.
In fact, Rasmus is one of six players across both Team Europe and the USA to have played in the Junior Ryder Cup, alongside Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy.
After turning professional in 2019 as an 18-year-old, quickly established himself as one of the most promising talents in the game.
In his rookie season, shortly after earning his card via the Qualifying School, Højgaard won his first DP World Tour title at the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open in December 2019.
By doing so, aged 18 years and 271 days, he became the third youngest winner on the DP World Tour.
Further success that season came at the ISPS HANDA UK Championship at The Belfry, while he became a three-time winner at the 2021 Omega European Masters after coming through the field in the final round to clinch a one-shot victory in Switzerland.
Shoulder and rib injuries halted his progress though, withdrawing days before the inaugural Hero Cup in January 2023, with Nicolai the beneficiary as he impressed in Abu Dhabi and went on to earn a Captain’s Pick for the Ryder Cup later that year.
However, the wait was worth it as Rasmus returned to the winner’s circle after a near two-year absence by becoming the first Danish winner at the Made in HimmerLand in July 2023.
By then, still only 22, Rasmus had become a four-time winner on the DP World Tour.
Perhaps most eye-catchingly, it extended his perfect record in play-offs at the time, having also won in Mauritius and England in the same manner.
When it comes to head-to-head golf, Rasmus should not be short in inner belief if a match goes the distance.
Not only that, but he has also proven he can compete with the very best in the game, having completed his set of Major Championship starts earlier this year at the Masters Tournament.
His victory at the Amgen Irish Open last year was a big reason behind his automatic qualification for Donald’s team this week, producing a superb closing 65 – that featured two chip-ins – to deny home favourite Rory McIlroy at Royal County Down.
Yet, he still had to hold his nerve and deliver under pressure in the final two weeks of qualifying, finishing runner-up in his homeland and then doing what was needed by finishing in a two-way tie for 29th at the British Masters to become the final player to qualify automatically for the European team.
From growing up imagining teeing it up on this stage, Rasmus now gets the chance to do it for real, and there is every reason to believe he will shine under the spotlight that he has become so accustomed to on his journey in the top echelons of golf.
“To be here, in this team, is super special,” he said. “It’s going to be exciting.”