DENMARK’S HØJGAARD TWINS WILL TEAM TO COMPETE IN THIS YEAR’S ZURICH CLASSIC OF NEW ORLEANS

NEW ORLEANS, LA (April 7, 2025)—Rasmus and Nicolai Højgaard, twins from Denmark, will compete in this year’s Zurich Classic, announced Steve Worthy, CEO of the Fore!Kids Foundation, producer of the tournament.

“Both the brothers have international experience in team play,” said Worthy. “That should serve them well, and I’m sure it has to be a special experience to get to partner with your brother in a team setting. We are excited to have the Højgaard twins back in New Orleans together,” Worthy added.

Rory McIlroy, second in the world rankings and first in FedExCup points, has teamed again with Shane Lowry, ranked 13^th in the world, to defend their title in this year’s Zurich Classic. They will be joined by Collin Morikawa, fourth in both world ranking and FedExCup points, playing with Kurt Kitayama in the event April 24-27.

The Højgaards are the first set of twins to play together in the Masters and the first brothers since Eduardo and Francesco Molinari played together in 2012. Nicolai received a special invitation and Rasmus qualified via the top 50 on the 2024 year-end Official World Golf Ranking.

One of the other brother pairs in Master history was Jay and Lionel Hebert of Lafayette, LA, who played in the same Masters from 1956-1968, the longest streak of any brother duo.

Both Nicolai and Rasmus excelled as amateurs, with Nicolai reaching number five in the World Amateur Golf Rankings. The brothers turned professional in 2019 after leading Denmark to that country’s first Eisenhower Trophy in the World Amateur Team Championship. They played Foursomes together for Europe in the 2018 Junior Ryder Cup.

The Højgaards are the first brothers in the history of the DP World Tour to win titles on consecutive weeks. They also became the first twins to compete in The Open Championship in 2023.

Rasmus became the first player born in the 21^st century to graduate from the European Tour Qualifying School. He claimed his first European title right after that, winning the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open in his fourth start at 18 years and 271 days old.

He has won five international titles, including the European Masters in 2021. He earned his PGA Tour card after winning last year’s Amgen Irish Open to finish in the top 10 of the DP World Tour. Playing parttime on the PGA Tour in 2022, he scored two top-10 finishes, with a sixth in the Corales Puntacana Championship and a tie for tenth in the Genesis Scottish Open.

A week after Rasmus’s third European victory, his brother Nicolai took his own first title at the Italian Open. A last-minute wild-card entry, Nicolai birdied the final hole to finish one stroke ahead of Tommy Fleetwood.

On last year’s PGA Tour, Nicolai took sole second in the Farmers Insurance Open. The season before, he posted a second at the Corales Puntacana Championship and a tie for sixth at the Genesis Scottish Open.

Nicolai played on the victorious 2023 European Ryder Cup team. In November of that year he won the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai, firing a 64 in the final round. He has won four times on the DP World Tour.

Nicolai finished seventh in the 2024 Paris Olympics after tying a course record with a 62 in the third round.

About Fore!Kids Foundation: 

 Since 1958, the Fore!Kids Foundation has raised money to fund children’s service organizations through golf events like the Zurich Classic of New Orleans and several charitable golf tournaments.

In 2024, the Fore!Kids Foundation generated a record $3.3 million in charitable giving for children’s charities in the New Orleans and Baton Rouge metro areas. Charitable contributions have been rising in recent years:

• $3.3 million in 2024
• Over $22.9 Million to charities in last 10 years
• Over $51 Million to charities since inception

More information at http://www.forekidsfoundation.com.