Rasmus Højgaard is pleased to be nearing full fitness as he looks to emulate brother Nicolai's early-season success at the ISPS HANDA - CHAMPIONSHIP.
The Dane has been limited to two appearances on the DP World Tour so far this year due to a shoulder injury, registering a top ten on his last start at the Ras Al Khaimah Championship – where Nicolai was the defending champion.
The three-time DP World Tour winner is now eager to get back to playing regularly after watching the success enjoyed by Nicolai on both sides of the Atlantic.
Since registering three top tens in his first seven DP World Tour events of the season, Nicolai finished solo second at the Corales Puntacana Championship before earning his PGA TOUR Special Temporary Membership at the Valero Texas Open.
“The first couple of weeks (at home) were pretty boring, and then I got into a habit of the rehab and training,” said Rasmus ahead of his return to action following a ten-week absence.
“I kept busy. It didn’t help that Nicolai was out playing so well.
“He wants me to come back and play again now. I’m very happy for him to be playing very good golf. It’s motivating to see him do well.
“For now it’s getting into tournament mode again – practising and playing. I can’t have the highest expectations at the moment, I’m just happy to be back and playing again. It might take me a couple of weeks to find my game, but I’m not worried about it.”
This week sees the DP World Tour host its first tournament in Japan in an event co-sanctioned by the Japan Golf Tour Organisation.
It builds on the recently announced partnership between the DP World Tour, PGA TOUR and Japan Golf Tour Organisation that will see the top three players on the JGTO Order of Merit earn membership onto the DP World Tour each season.
There are seven Japanese DP World Tour members in the field, including last year's JGTO Order of Merit winner Kazuko Higa, and Højgaard is glad to see pathways created for new talent to emerge.
“It’s very cool to have tournaments in Asia and especially Japan,” he said.
“ISPS Handa is a very important sponsor. They have supported professional golf on the men’s and women’s side. I think it’s great that Dr Handa keeps supporting golf so that we have tournaments all around the globe.
“The partnership with the DP World Tour and the Japan Tour, they have a pathway now to get onto the Tour. I can only say good things about it.”
