The DP World Tour returns to Denmark this week as Himmerland Golf & Spa Resort plays host to the eighth edition of the Made in HimmerLand. Here are your five things to know.
History behind the event
The event that started out as Made in Denmark has been played at Himmerland Golf & Spa Resort for six of its seven previous editions.
The venue also served as host of the Himmerland Open on the Challenge Tour from 1994-98 as well the Made in Denmark Challenge in 2018, won by two-time DP World Tour winner Joachim B. Hansen – who features among a host of home hopes in the field this week.
The tournament moved to Silkeborg in 2018 when England’s Matt Wallace, runner-up at the 2022 Omega European Masters and in the field this week, won his fourth and most recent Tour title.
After being played in May in its previous two editions in 2019 and 2021 the event returns to an August slot that it held from 2014 to 2018.
Ryder Cup Europe Captain in town
Luke Donald will tee it up at Made in Himmerland for the first time as he begins a three-week stretch of events on the DP World Tour which also includes the BMW PGA Championship and the DS Automobiles Italian Open, held at Marco Simone Golf Club in Rome – host venue of the 2023 Ryder Cup.
The Englishman, announced as European Ryder Cup Captain on August 1, represented his continent four times as a player and was part of the winning team on each occasion, while he served as a Vice Captain under Thomas Bjørn in 2018 and Pádraig Harrington last year at Whistling Straits.
Among his list of impressive accolades in his playing career, the 44-year-old former World Number One became the first player in history to top the money lists on the European Tour (now the DP World Tour) and the PGA TOUR in the same year when he did so in 2011.
The @RyderCupEurope captain has arrived in Denmark 🤩#MIH22 | @LukeDonald pic.twitter.com/H5MgkAdjqb
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) August 30, 2022
Højgaard twins among home hopes
Nicolai and Rasmus Højgaard are among a host of home favourites aiming to become the first Danish players to win the Made in HimmerLand title.
With Thorbjørn Olesen and fellow multiple Tour winners Søren Kjeldsen, Lucas Bjerregaard, Bjørn and Hansen also in the field, the home crowds will have plenty to root for during the week.
Of those, Olesen is the best placed on the DP World Tour Rankings in Partnership with Rolex, sitting 19th, courtesy of his victory at the Betfred British Masters hosted by Danny Willett in May.
Marcus Helligkilde and Niklas Nørgaard Møller, who both graduated from the Challenge Tour last year, have both registered two top tens so far this season as they look to make their mark.
Himmerland Hill: An atmosphere like no other
HimmerLand Golf & Spa Resort was opened in 1992 and designed by golf architect Jan Cedermolm.
The course boasts one of the Tour’s great signature holes – the par three 16th. Dubbed ‘Himmerland Hill’, it played just 79 yards in 2015, the shortest par three in Tour history.
In 2017, Bjørn received a hero’s reception from the huge crowds that had gathered around the green as the Dane celebrated his 500th Tour appearance. Among the tributes from fans and players alike, Bjørn was treated to a rendition of the club's anthem 'You'll Never Walk Alone' as he walked up to the short par three.
Organisers have also added to the atmosphere over the years by handing out rubber birds – named Benny the Birdie, Eddie the Eagle and Andy the Ace – which squeak when squeezed, helping fans to make even more noise.
Fantasy DP World Tour’s ‘September Challenge’
During the month of September, beginning with the Made in Himmerland and running through to the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, the official fantasy game of the DP World Tour will offer prizes for those playing in the game.
Among the prizes to be won are two general admission tickets for the 2023 Ryder Cup and a £200 Official DP World Tour store voucher, with members of the public able to win at any stage of the month should they not join at the start of the challenge.
As before, the game allows fans from all over the world to take each other on predicting the top six players each event week of the season, and players can register for the game to make their selections for this week’s event in Denmark.
To read more about the ‘September Challenge’ head here and for your chance to win some great prizes, sign up or pick your team now: https://fantasy.dpworldtour.com/
