Denmark’s 20-year-old Nicolai Hojgaard, who recently won a second career DP World Tour victory at the Ras al Khaimah Championship, will make his second career PGA Tour start this week as a sponsor exemption at the Honda Classic.
Hojgaard, who earned his first win last September at the Italian Open, birdied his last two holes to win by four strokes over Englishman Jordan Smith. He held a three-shot lead after 54 holes, but his lead began to crumble following a double bogey at No. 9 and bogey at 12. He rebounded with birdie at 13 and eagle at 14 to set up his birdie-birdie finish. Hojgaard, whose twin brother Rasmus is a three-time DPWT winner, carded four rounds in the 60s at Al Hamra GC, where he finished at 24-under 264. However, the next week at the same venue, he missed the cut at the Ras al Khaimah Classic after shooting 71-74. In his only other PGA Tour-sanctioned start, Hojgaard missed the cut at the 2018 Open Championship at Carnoustie.