“There’s nothing stopping a kid like that” - Adam Scott ‘impressed’ by Ryder Cup-bound Nicolai Hojgaard

Nicolai Højgaard was announced as one of Luke Donald’s wildcards for his European Ryder Cup team on Monday (September 4). While many fans are questioning the skipper’s decision to pick the 22-year-old, European veteran Adam Scott seems to be happy with it. It is noteworthy that the 2013 Masters champion had Højgaard on his radar for a while and has lauded the rising star for his game in the past.

Having played alongside Højgaard in the 2022 Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, Scott noted at the time that the young golfer had immense potential to become “top-of-the-world.” The Aussie veteran admitted to being “impressed” with the Dane, set to make his debut on the team competition at Marco Simone.

Lauding Donald’s wildcard pick, Scott said that “there’s nothing stopping a kid like that” if Nicolai improves on his current game.

After the 2022 Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, Adam Scott was quoted as saying by Golf Monthly on Nicolai Højgaard:

“I was really impressed, I have to say. I was saying to my caddie, it’s been a while since I have played with a young kid who made me sit back and take notice. His speed is incredible.

"If he figures out a short game, the sky's the limit. Obviously, he has a pretty good one but if he takes it to top-of-the-world level, there’s nothing stopping a kid like that.”

It is noteworthy that Højgaard has had some team experience in the past. The young Dane teamed up with his brother in 2018 to help Denmark win the Eisenhower Trophy at the World Amateur Team Championships.

Having turned pro in 2019, Nicolai was quick to make his mark on the DP World Tour with a runner-up finish behind Ryder Cup legend Sergio Garcia in the KLM Open.

Nicolai’s runner-up performance in the Corales Puntacana Championship, T14 finish at the Wyndham Championship, third place in the D+D Real Czech Masters, and T5 at the Omega European Masters have all persuaded Donald to pick him for his first Ryder Cup appearance.

As noted by Scott, Højgaard is considered by many to be a rising talent. It’ll be interesting to see how the young golfer fares on the European squad in Rome.

2023 European Ryder Cup Team

The final European team for the Ryder Cup 2023 was announced by skipper Luke Donald on Monday. Making his final picks, the Englishman announced Tommy Fleetwood, Sepp Straka, Justin Rose, Shane Lowry, Ludwig Aberg, and Nicolai Højgaard. These picks will now join the likes of Jon Rahm, Rory McIlroy, and Viktor Hovland, among others.

It is noteworthy that Rahm and McIlroy were the first two picks for the team via auto-qualification. Hovland, Tyrrell Hatton, Matt Fitzpatrick, and Robert MacIntyre later confirmed their positions. The remaining six were announced by captain Donald.

2023 European Ryder Cup Team:

Rory McIlroy (European Point List)
Jon Rahm (European Point List)
Robert MacIntyre (European Point List)
Viktor Hovland (World Point List)
Tyrrell Hatton (World Point List)
Matt Fitzpatrick (World Point List)
Tommy Fleetwood (Captain's pick)
Sepp Straka (Captain's pick)
Justin Rose (Captain's pick)
Shane Lowry (Captain's pick)
Nicolai Højgaard (Captain's pick)
Ludwig Aberg (Captain's pick)

The 2023 Ryder Cup is set to tee off on September 29 in Rome, Italy. The team event will have its finale on October 1.