Danish twins Nicolai and Rasmus Højgaard make Masters history

AUGUSTA, Ga. — A historic moment is set to unfold at the Masters as Nicolai and Rasmus Højgaard, 24-year-old identical twins from Billund, Denmark, become the first siblings to compete in the prestigious tournament together. The event kicks off on Thursday, April 10, at Augusta National Golf Club, marking an extraordinary milestone in the tournament’s storied history.

Rasmus, ranked No. 55 in the world, will make his Masters debut this year after finishing in the top 50 of last year’s world rankings. Nicolai, who finished tied for 16th in last year’s event after leading during part of the third round, received a special invitation to return to this year’s tournament. Both brothers have long dreamed of this moment, often imagining themselves winning the Masters as children.

“We would tell each other, ‘this is the putt to win the Masters,’” Rasmus recalled in a Tuesday press conference. The twins humorously noted that they showed up in matching outfits for the press conference due to a coincidence, causing some confusion as they looked alike with only their hairstyles differentiating them.

“It was completely random, to be fair,” Nicolai explained. “Ras left the house a little bit earlier than me this morning, and when I came out here, he was sitting in beige pants and a green jumper. We actually thought it made good sense to go into the press conference in the same clothes, so it worked out all right.”

Their camaraderie has evolved since childhood. Rasmus shared that during their younger years, they would sometimes go days without speaking after competing against each other. “We fought a lot more than saying congratulations,” he said. “But now we can shake each other’s hand and say congrats when someone is playing well,” Nicolai added.

Competing at the Masters also brings a unique element, as both have the potential to wear the iconic green jacket, awarded to the tournament champion. When asked about how it would feel watching one of them win the coveted prize, Rasmus joked, “Probably be very frustrating. No, I think it would be very cool.” Nicolai quickly agreed, acknowledging the special nature of the competition.

The Højgaard twins are no strangers to the biggest stages in golf. They previously competed together at The Open and the PGA Championship in 2023 and 2024, although this will be their first time playing at the Masters together. Nicolai will begin his rounds at 7:51 a.m. ET on Thursday, while Rasmus is scheduled to tee off just after 12:30 p.m.

As they prepare for this monumental event, the brothers reflected on their journey. Both are accomplished players in their own right, with Rasmus having five victories on the DP World Tour and Nicolai being a member of the winning Ryder Cup team in 2023.

Amid the excitement, Rasmus noted the challenges of the course. “After last year’s experience, I looked back thinking about what went wrong after being in perfect position to finish 16th,” he said. “It’s crucial to learn from it and improve.”

With the tournament now mere hours away, the atmosphere is electrifying as golf fans anticipate the twins’ debut. “We’ve been dreaming of this our whole lives,” Rasmus noted. The Højgaard twins are poised not only to make history but also to pursue their dreams on one of golf’s most significant stages.