Højgaard claims second win of rookie season
Rasmus Højgaard. Picture: Getty Images
Denmark’s Rasmus Højgaard proved that the game’s best amateurs are ready to challenge at the highest level when he claimed the ISPS HANDA UK Championship in a playoff and his second European Tour victory.
The teenager (19) was making just his 15th European Tour start at The Belfry but already looks like a superstar after he came from five shots behind overnight leader Justin Walters to win with a par at the second tie hole.
Less than two years after helping Denmark with the Eisenhower Trophy alongside John Axelsen and his twin brother Nicolai at Carton House — an event where US PGA Champion Collin Morikawa finished second with the USA — Højgaard birdied the 14th and 16th and eagled the par-five 17th to close with a 65 and set the clubhouse target at 14-under.
Two-time major winner Martin Kaymer bogeyed the 17th to fall back to 13-under and eventually finish third, but Walters made birdie there and then curled in a four-footer for par at the last to shoot 70 and force extra holes.
The first extra hole was halved in pars but it was Højgaard who emerged the victor after their second trip down the testing 18th, two-putting from just off the green to join Italian Matteo Manassero as the only other player to capture two titles before turning 20.
"I didn’t really expect it. I started five shots back, so I was just trying to score as low and possible and see where I ended up,” said Højgaard, who will move from 104th to 67th in the world and make his major debut in next month’s US Open at Winged Foot. “Ended in a play-off and win as well, so I was very happy.
“I had a good amateur career and achieved a few things there, I learnt how to be in contention and manage myself, and have brought that along to my professional career, and it has been working so far which has been awesome.”
As Hojgaard earned €156,825 to move to fourth in the Race to Dubai, Clandeboye’s Jonathan Caldwell climbed to 125th after he closed with a 72 to finish tied 39th on one-under (€5,442).
