Denmark teenager Nicholai Højgaard took the first round lead in the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters’ first visit to Education City Golf Club, with a superb 64. Picture by GETTY IMAGES
DENMARK’S teenage prodigy Nicolai Højgaard produced a remarkable run of scoring on the back nine to take the first round lead at the 2020 Commercial Bank Qatar Masters.
Nicolai is looking to follow brother Rasmus into the winner’s circle – having announced himself on the professional stage when he finished second to Sergio Garcia at last season’s KLM Open.
Since then Nicholai – and identical twin brother Rasmus – whom he played with when the won the Eisenhower Trophy at the World Amateur Team Championship two years ago – have been blazing a trail on the European Tour.
Rasmus came through European Tour Qualifying School and then won the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open on his European Tour debut in December, becoming the third youngest winner in its history,
Today, it was Nicolai’s time to shine at Education City Golf Club.
The 18-year-old turned in one-under but then made six birdies in eight holes from the 10th as he came home in 29 and hit the summit at seven-under after a 64.
Nicolai Højgaard said: “It was a good day. I started out slow – was playing really bad on the first four, five, six holes.
“I was still two-under at that point. But I was just playing it all over the place. My putter was just on fire today – that’s the difference.
“When I came to the back nine I was hitting fairways, hitting it close and rolling the putter,” said Nicholai, who also played in the Junior Ryder Cup in France, two years ago.
“You just hit the button and you keep going. I was hitting the fairway, I was hitting greens, I was getting close on the par fives.
“My putter was just the difference today. I was playing okay with the long game but I was just holing everything.
“The back nine is a bit more tricky off the tee so I would say it was more of a three-wood on the back nine, I was hitting a lot of three-woods and it was pretty good.”
Sullivan in chasing pack in Qatar
DUTCHMAN Joost Luiten was a shot back of leader Nicolai Højgaard and one ahead of a group of six players including Warwickshire’s Andy Sullivan, the 2016 Ryder Cup player, who won three times in 2015, but has not added to that success since.
Luiten said: “I am absolutely pleased. Seven birdies and one dropped shot, it wasn’t really needed that dropped shot coming out of the middle of the fairway.
“But on a golf course like this where it is really tricky on and around the greens, I was out of position, so sometimes you just have to accept the bogey. All in all, I am happy with my game.”
Luiten preferred not to spend too much time practising in the build-up because of strong winds in Doha, on Tuesday and Wednesday,
“I didn’t do a lot of practise because you can ask yourself if it really helps if you hit into a 50mph wind on the range?
“So I tried to stay away from it and played the course, get to know it a bit better and it was beautiful today.
“I think on the golf course if you are in the fairway you can be pretty aggressive to the undulated greens.
“I hit my irons and driver beautiful today which created a lot of chances and I rolled in a couple of putts.”
Spaniards Jorge Campillo and Carlos Pigem, Italy’s Lorenzo Gagli, Belgian Thomas Pieters, and another Dane in the shape of Jeff Winther all carded five-under par 66s to join Sullivan in a share of third place.
•For live scores in the second round of the Qatar Masters click here.
