In its 50-year history, the DP World Tour has seen many family members tee it up: fathers and sons, uncles and nephews and brothers – including twins.
In 2022, we have seen five sets of brothers featuring two sets of identical twins play in the same events. Here we take look at the siblings offering both support and rivalry out on Tour.
Edoardo and Francesco Molinari
The most established set of siblings currently on Tour, with Francesco graduating from the Qualifying School in 2004 and Edoardo finishing in the top 15 on the Challenge Tour Rankings three years later. In 2010 the duo played together in Europe's victory at The Ryder Cup, less than a year after they had teamed up to win the World Cup for Italy. Individually, Francesco enjoyed a stallar 2018, winning The Open Championship, a Rolex Series title at the BMW PGA Championship, five points out of five in Europe's Ryder Cup victory and the Harry Vardon Trophy. He also has a World Golf Championships title and three regular DP World Tour wins, the same number as his brother. This year, they were both in the field at the Genesis Scottish Open, BMW PGA Championship and DS Automobiles Italian Open, with Francesco securing a top ten finish at Wentworth Club.
Nicolai and Rasmus Højgaard
At the age of just 21 and with five DP World Tour wins between them, the identical Højgaard twins have made no secret of their desire to follow the Molinaris and play together at The Ryder Cup. The duo tasted success together as amateurs as part of Denmark's winning 2018 Eisenhower Trophy team and the move into the paid ranks has been seamless. Nicolai was first to make an impact as he finished second as an invite at the KLM Open but later that year, Rasmus came through Qualifying School and won the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open in just his fifth European Tour start, becoming the third youngest winner in Tour history at 18 years and 271 days old. Rasmus added the ISPS Handa UK Championship in 2020 and in 2021 the duo made history as Rasmus' third win at the Omega European Masters was followed just seven days later by a Nicolai victory at the DS Automobiles Italian Open. This season, Nicolai has added another win at the Ras al Khaimah Championship presented by Phoenix Capital, with the pair regularly playing at the same events and being drawn together at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.
Matt and Alex Fitzpatrick
Another set of brothers who played together in Scotland were the Fitzpatricks, with Alex making his professional debut in 2022. Matt turned professional eight years earlier after an amateur career in which he won the Boys Amateur Championship in 2012 and the following year claimed the U.S. Amateur Championship, reached the rank of World Amateur Number One, won the Silver Medal as low amateur at The Open Championship and represented GB&I in the Walker Cup. He came through Qualifying School in 2014 and won seven titles in as many seasons before adding a maiden Major at the U.S. Open Championship this season. Alex has enjoyed an impressive amateur career of his own, playing in the 2019 and 2021 Walker Cups while also reaching fourth in the World Amateur Rankings. He made his professional debut at this year's Horizon Irish Open and has made five of seven cuts, finishing above Matt at the Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucía Masters.
Yannik and Jeremy Paul
Before the Højgaards, there were the Pauls, who at the 2016 BMW International Open became the first pair of identical twins to play in the same DP World Tour event. They played together for Germany at the 2015 and 2016 European Amateur Team Championship and then went to college together at the University of Colorado but since then, their career paths have diverged. Jeremy has stayed primarily across the Atlantic and now plays on the Korn Ferry Tour, while Yannik came back to Europe and played on the Challenge Tour, graduating in 2021. Yannik's first season on the DP World Tour has brought him a maiden win at the Mallorca Golf Open and five other top tens, including finishing eighth at the acciona Open de España presented by Madrid, where Jeremy was 18th.
Ricardo and Tomas Gouveia
Father Tomas Snr introduced his sons to golf after moving to the Algarve and the duo have since played together at several Portugal Masters, including the 2022 edition. Ricardo was a Palmer Cup winner with Europe in 2014 and also represented his country four times in the European Amateur Team Championship. He turned professional in 2014 and topped the Challenge Tour Rankings a year later, initially establishing himself on the DP World Tour but having to graduate from the Challenge Tour again in 2021. Tomas played 18 Challenge Tour events in 2021 and with Ricardo narrowly missing out on his DP World Tour playing privileges last season, they could play together more in 2023.
