The Danish golf twins Rasmus and Nicolai Højgaard, 20, have written history over the last eight days.
A brilliant behind nine
First, Rasmus won the Omega European Masters in Switzerland on August 29 – his third European Tour victory since becoming a professional.
He started the final day in 15th place, but played holes 13-15 on four under par on his way to a magnificent round of 63 to climb to second place in the rankings.
One last hollow bird put pressure on the Austrian leader Rasmus Højgaard, who subsequently scored a double-bogey on the 18th after finding water.
Praise from one of Europe’s finest
And then a week later Nicolai won DS Automobiles Italian Open -his first European Tour victory and the first time twins have ever won back-to-back tournaments on the tour.
Like his brother, Nicolai kept his nerve to sink a birdie in the final hole to win a shot free of England’s Tommy Fleetwood and Poland’s Adrian Meronk.
“Fair play for Nicolai,” Fleetwood, an established world star, told the BBC. “Of course, something very special is happening with these brothers, and it will be exciting in the future.”
Hjalte is still fighting for NFL start despite relegation
Within a day of being let go of the 53-player Houston Texans main team last week, Hjalte Froholdt, 25, was re-employed by the NFL side’s 16-man training team. This means that the Dane may be entitled to play in games if injuries allow it. It is standard procedure for NFL sides to formally let players go when they cut their main teams down from 80 to 53 prior to the start of the season, only to re-enroll them in their training teams. Froholdt was picked up by New England Patriots in the draft for 2019, but only debuted in 2020 due to injury. He then played eight games before being released in November. The NFL season starts September 10th.
Danish teenagers are making great strides abroad
Two of Danish football’s most promising teenage attacking opportunities have moved abroad. The Danish under-21 star Wahid Faghirs, whose value was enhanced by some impressive performances in the European U-21 Euro, has joined the Bundesliga club Stuttgart on a five-year contract. Still only 18, the Vejle striker scored eight goals in 33 matches in the Super League. And the 19-year-old forward Mohamed Daramy, who made his debut for the Danish national team on September 1, has left FC Copenhagen to join Ajax for a fee that is rumored to be 90 million kroner. He scored 18 goals in 93 games for FCK. In other transfer news, FC Midtjylland winger Anders Dreyer has moved to Rubin Kazan for a fee that is stated to be 55 million kroner.
‘Future star’ announces his arrival with an IKEA bag slung over his shoulder
Holger Rune’s status in real tennis has increased a few notches thanks to his performance at the US Open – the 18-year-old’s grand slam debut. Not only did he manage to take a stand against world number one Novak Djokovic in his opening round 1-6, 7-6, 2-6, 1-6 defeat, but he also grabbed plenty of headlines by hitting up the match with his kit in an IKEA bag. Belgian superstar Kim Clijsters was among those who applauded the young Dane and remarked on Twitter: “Rune is rocking the IKEA bag in midfield.” Another author said it was the “most New York-like thing ever seen at the US Open,” and another considered it “iconic Nordic behavior.” After his victory, where Rune pushed himself several times, Djokovic hailed the Dane as a “future star”.
Mats Wilander uncomplementary about Clara Tauson after exit in US Open
Clara Tauson can blame an unfortunate draw for bowing out of the ongoing US Open in the second round, where she lost 1-6, 5-7 to Ashleigh Barty, but TV expert Mats Wilander believes she could have done more to bring the fight to the Australian top seed. The Swede, a multiple grand slam champion in the 1980s, said the 18-year-old could improve his attitude. Instead of throwing her rackets in frustration, he would prefer to hear her shout his frustration away. “I do not understand when players air their frustration under the air – and in their own language. Use the English language – and shout it so loud that Barty can hear it, “he said on Eurosport.
Cyclist honored with Combativity Award after three stage victories
Magnus Cort won the Combativity Award in this year’s Vuelta a España, which ended on September 5 with an overall victory for the Slovenian cyclist Primoz Roglic. Cort won three times in the World Tour – stages 6, 12 and 19 – most of all cyclists. And he almost reached number four in the last stage, a time trial won by Roglic, with the Dane only 14 seconds behind in second place.
Denmark’s changes cost them almost in the Faroe Islands
Denmark made nine changes to their side ahead of their World Cup qualifier in 2022 in the Faroe Islands on Saturday, and it almost cost them when their opponents hit the woodwork after 50 minutes. A late goal from Jonas Wind, who had a goal banned just before half time, gave the Danes their fifth victory out of five, and they now top the group with five points. Wind’s goal came a minute after the islanders had been given a player red card. Should Denmark beat Israel at the Park on Tuesday, they lead the group with at least seven points with only four games left. Austria, which many tipped as Denmark’s most likely challengers, lost on Saturday 5-2 away to Israel.
New chair for the Danish Handball Association
Secretary General of the Danish Handball Association Morten Stig Christensen, 62, has replaced Per Bertelsen as chairman of the association for one year. He has been accused of modernizing the game’s structure in Denmark. Christensen, a former player and TV host, stepped up to the role after Bertelsen was pressured to resign in early August. The former chair told TV2 that “many of the knives in the back” were not deserved.
Veteran Danish cyclist sees new team
Jakob Fuglsang believes he has run his last race for Astana, the Kazakh team he joined in 2013. On August 30, Fuglsang broke his collarbone and shoulder blade in a crash on the Benelux Tour and is not expected to ride again before next time year. Questioner expects Fuglsang to prefer a switch to one of the smaller World Tour teams like Quick-Step, Israel Start-Up Nation or Cofidis.
The King of Danish Selerace wins the 11th Derby at the age of 71
On Sunday 29 August, the seler racer Steen Juul won his 11th Danish Trotting Derby at Charlottenlund Racetrack – continues a remarkable race that started in 1983. Even more remarkable is Juul 71 years old. The victory was Juul’s ninth as a coach. True to its name, Festival Of Speed jumped away from rivals in the home stretch. Only stablemate Frodo Cash, another horse trained by Juul, managed to keep up, but no one could deny Juul his 11th derby in the trot.
Source: The Nordic Page