AMGEN IRISH OPEN

September 15, 2024

Rasmus Højgaard

Royal County Down GC

Press Conference

CLARE BODEL: Welcome to the Amgen Irish Open Media Centre. Just if you can sum up how it feels to be sitting here with that trophy after that incredible final round?

RASMUS HØJGAARD: It feels pretty good. Yeah, a lot of nerves coming down the stretch, especially watching Rory finishing up.

Yeah, seems like my nerves have settled down now and I feel pretty good.

CLARE BODEL: Seems like the win came just at the right time. You've claimed your fifth DP World Tour title and second in The Race to Dubai and top of the Ryder Cup rankings. Plenty to play for.

RASMUS HØJGAARD: Yeah, for sure. The timing is perfect. You know, I've set a couple goals that I want to achieve, and one of them was getting a PGA TOUR this year, and the other one is Ryder Cup next year.

Yeah, it's nice to get a step closer.

Q. This tournament has been good Denmark. Why do you think that is?

RASMUS HØJGAARD: Good question. Yeah, we seem to do well at this event. I don't think there's any explanation what does it for us. But yeah, it's great a great win for Denmark.

Q. Rory said, if it's not you, it's your brother. Do you feel in gutted for him, what happened today --

RASMUS HØJGAARD: Yeah, I've gutted for him, trying to win at home. But at the same time, I'm very happy for myself to come through with this win now. But I know how much it would have meant for him to win this event.

Q. What was your mindset this morning knowing who you were chasing down?

RASMUS HØJGAARD: I was trying to get off to a good start. That was the main thing. I had not really done that this week and I did manage to make pars on those four holes. But then, you know, I was trying to get to a number. I was trying to get to minus eight today and see if that would have a chance. Obviously I holed out a few times and certainly I get to minus nine. You never really think about it when you're in the middle, but obviously when you add it up in the end, yeah, it turned out to be a very low score.

Q. Going back to 10, what were you thinking, was it just trying to get it as close as you could?

RASMUS HØJGAARD: Oh, there's no way I saw it -- it wasn't that straightforward. I obviously had a good line, but I thought if I could get it within five feet, I would be happy with that and try to get away with three. But there was a flag in the way and the ball went in the hole.

Yeah, it was one of those lucky bounces I got there today.

Q. You missed getting a PGA TOUR card last year. How much of a goal was that this year?

RASMUS HØJGAARD: It was a top goal this year. Yeah, it's going to be cool I can go over and play in America with my brother, Nicolai, now. It makes our lives a bit easier.

It was a tough one last year but definitely motivated me.

Q. Can I ask you, the back nine, you were very certainly in contention but you knew the crowd was for rooting Rory, what do you try to say to yourself knowing you're going up against a very partisan crowd?

RASMUS HØJGAARD: Yeah, obviously in my mind, I knew that I had to make birdies out there. It's hard to force birdies on this golf course. It so happens by itself a little bit, it's easy to say. But you know, I was trying to stay as patient and as present as possible. Sounds a bit cliché but again, it's pretty much all we can do when you're out there is trying to focus on ourselves and try to see if we can make birdies.

It's easy sometimes to get ahead of yourself and think about what can happen. So yeah, today I managed to stay very present and focus on the shots I had.

Q. Watching Rory --

RASMUS HØJGAARD: I was shaking in the recording. Yeah, it's a tough one. I obviously expected him to make it. You know, yes, it's hard to watch, but when I got in, I prepared to sign my scorecard.

It's so hard to win, and you know, to do it here, at this event is amazing.

Q. What does it mean -- being a champion here specifically?

RASMUS HØJGAARD: Yeah, I can add my name to Søren's. He's won here as well. It's a course that demands a lot from our games, and I've played so well all week. Been very happy with my tee-to-green.

Haven't put too much pressure on myself. Obviously you make the odd bogeys here and there but overall it's been very solid, and today I just, yeah, it just seemed to go my way. Yeah, it's been a great week. I really enjoyed the golf course.

Q. How did you find the fans? Rory is the home favourite but they seemed to sense what you were doing.

RASMUS HØJGAARD: Yeah, I've had great support out there this week. Yeah, I think the Irish Open, Northern Irish fans are some of the best in the world. I always enjoyed coming here to play. Even though they were rooting for him to win, I felt very supported.

Q. How will you celebrate?

RASMUS HØJGAARD: I'll have a beer or two. Have a few good friends here, so I think we'll enjoy.