ITALIAN OPEN

September 14, 2022

Nicolai Hojgaard

Marco Simone Golf & Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Welcome back to Rome, a place you know particularly well from last year. Did the memories come flooding back as you entered the gates morning?

NICOLAI HOJGAARD: It did for sure. We were out at 1.00 with Thomas and Rasmus, and as soon as we got to the first tee, I could just see everything from last year and it was pretty cool to play today.

Q. Did you relive some of the shots from last year?

NICOLAI HOJGAARD: Tried to but mostly about how we played and strategy-wise. We talked about how we are going to approach the course and how different it's playing. It's way different compared to last year. The rough is up. It's difficult out of the rough now and I think that's a massive thing compared to last year.

So thinking about of the tee shots, how we are going to approach them now with the rough up, so that's how we spent today.

Q. Obviously you'll be defending this title this week will you approach how you go out there any differently?

NICOLAI HOJGAARD: For what I'm planning on doing is no difference, but I don't know if it's changing. I've never tried it before. It's the first time, so it will be interesting on the first tee when we get there.

Q. You mentioned the course this year. How well do you think the course will be suited to The Ryder Cup next year also?

NICOLAI HOJGAARD: I think it will be quite good for it. It looks like a really good match-play course. There are some good holes, interesting holes, tee shots, screen areas and such. It looks like a proper match-play course, and I think that's exciting for The Ryder Cup.

Q. Being here does it make you perhaps more eager to try and play well to make the team next year?

NICOLAI HOJGAARD: It does, I would love to play. It's one of my biggest goals. But there's such a long way to it. From now on, when we get to September next year, it's such a long way. So you just have to put your head down and get to work and then see where we are at when we get to September but I would love to play.

Q. Have you got any game plan of going towards that goal of trying to make the team or just take each week as it comes effectively?

NICOLAI HOJGAARD: The only approach you can take is do your work, do your best and then hopefully your good work will get us there.

But you can't make a game plan for it right now. You can't focus on it. It's just something that has to happen if you do a really good job, that's like the approach to it, I think. Trying to forget a little bit about it and focus on what you should focus on and then hopefully it happens.

Q. Rome being such a fantastic backdrop for that tournament to be held, isn't it?

NICOLAI HOJGAARD: It is. It's a beautiful city. There's so much to do. I haven't really had the chance yet but I would love to go out like two, three hours and see a museum and stuff like that. I love being here. I love Italian food and it's a great place, so I'm excited for this week.