Who Is Nicolai Hojgaard’s Caddie?

Hojgaard will make his Ryder Cup debut in Rome as a wildcard after back-to-back top five finishes in the final two events of European Ryder Cup qualification

Nicolai Hojgaard and his caddie during a DP World Tour event
Nicolai Hojgaard and caddie Christian Christensen discuss a shot on the DP World Tour
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Nicolai Hojgaard will make his Ryder Cup debut in Rome after impressing Luke Donald to earn a captain's pick.

The former Junior Ryder Cup member has been a regular on leaderboards on the DP World Tour this year and was one of Donald's six wildcard picks along with Ludvig Aberg, Tommy Fleetwood, Sepp Straka, Justin Rose and Shane Lowry .

He is the fourth Danish golfer to represent Europe after Thomas Bjorn, Soren Hansen and Thorbjorn Olesen but his twin brother Rasmus has missed out. Hojgaard, 22, earned his pick after recent good form in the Czech Masters and Omega European Masters with Christian Christensen on his bag.

Christensen first caught the eye by Hojgaard's side when the 22-year-old impressed in the Hero Cup in the second week of January 2023 as he finished as the joint top-point scorer, winning 3.5 points from four matches.

Christensen has since been a regular carrying for Hojgaard, including a top ten at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship and tied fifth at Ryder Cup venue Marco Simone in the Italian Open, which he won in 2021 at the Rome course.

Hojgaard then added a top 25 in his first Open this summer before a tie for 14th at the Wyndham Championship on the PGA Tour. His recent results prior to the Ryder Cup announcement underlined his form after a top three in the Czech Republic and a tied fifth finish in Switzerland in a lucrative spell for both the player and caddie as their rapport continues to grow.

Nicolai Hojgaard and former caddie Lee Warne

Nicolai Hojgaard and former caddie Lee Warne

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Hojgaard previously had bagman Lee Warne last year, who used to work as a greenkeeper at BMW PGA Championship venue Wentworth before teaming up to carry for Alex Noren. 

Warne put that crucial Wentworth knowledge to good use in 2017, when he helped Noren establish a new final round course record of 62 on his way to winning the tournament.

Prior to Warne, Hojgaard used caddie Christian Baeck who was on his bag when he won the Italian Open in 2021.

James Nursey
Contributor

James Nursey is a freelance contributor to Golf Monthly after spending over 20 years as a sports reporter in newspapers. During a 17-year career with the Daily Mirror, he covered mainly football but reported from The Open annually and also covered a Ryder Cup and three US Opens. He counts a pre-tournament exclusive with Justin Rose at Merion in 2013 as one of his most memorable as the Englishman went on to win his first Major and later repeated much of the interview in his winner’s speech.  Now, after choosing to leave full-time work in newspapers, James, who is a keen single-figure player, is writing about golf more.  His favourite track is the Old Course after attending St Andrews University but has since played mainly at Edgbaston, where he is on the honours board. He is an active member of the Association of Golf Writers and Press Golfing Society but his favourite round is playing the game with his children. James is currently playing:  Driver: Ping G400 3 wood: Ping i20 Hybrid: Ping i20 Irons: Ping i500 4-SW Wedges: Ping Glide forged 50, 56 Putter: TaylorMade Spider Tour Ball: Titleist ProVI