Denmark is blessed with several globally recognised golfers who continue to act as a reference point to emerging talent bidding to make their mark in the game.
While Thomas Bjørn, the Højgaard twins or Thorbjørn Olesen are household names, there are many other gifted players from their talent pool with high hopes.
Much discussed in recent years is the depth of their talent, highlighted by the presence of 19 Danes in the field for this week’s Danish Golf Championship.
It may be four less than 12 months ago, but there can be no denying the country continues to be the source of much admiration for how it is producing players capable of challenging on the international stage.
Bjørn, the country’s most successful golfer, described Danish golf as being in a “dreamworld” before last year’s edition, but there are no illusions.
With 18 players from Denmark holding DP World Tour membership, there are just six countries with more on the 2025 Race to Dubai.
Here, we look at five home hopes, who you may still be getting to know, to keep an eye on this week at Furesø Golf Klub.
Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen
Age: 26 | Race to Dubai Ranking: 18 | Official World Golf Ranking: 95
His appearance at this event last year came two weeks before his third HotelPlanner Tour title of the 2024 season, a feat which earned him automatic promotion to the DP World Tour. While he missed the cut in his first start as a fully fledged member at the Amgen Irish Open, he then signalled his potential with a run of three top 20s in succession as he improved his membership category for the 2025 Race to Dubai. Five top ten finishes on the DP World Tour have since been amassed, while he was part of the Continental Europe side at the Team Cup in January. His game appears to travel around the world, with back-to-back runner-ups in Qatar and then in Puerto Rico across the DP World Tour and PGA TOUR respectively. On his second appearance in a Major Championship at the U.S. Open in June, he finished in a share of 12th at Oakmont Country Club. Shortly after climbing into the world's top 100 for the first time last year, he was named an honorary member of Furesø Golf Klub - where he was a member since a young age. So, expectations will be high as he goes in search of a first DP World Tour title that appears only a matter of time.
Jacob Skov Olesen
Age: 26 | Race to Dubai Ranking: 48 | Official World Golf Ranking: 265
The next best-known player in this shortlist. A year after making the cut as an amateur on his Major Championship debut at The Open, he held a share of the lead at Royal Portrush last month. While he was unable to sustain a challenge, it did highlight his talent. Made further headlines by being on the bag of his girlfriend and Ladies European Tour professional Darcey Harry at her home club, Royal Porthcawl, at the AIG Women's Open. Back on the course, the 2024 Amateur Championship winner at Ballyliffin registered three top tens in his first five months after turning professional upon securing his DP World Tour card through Final Qualifying in Spain. Finished in a tie for fifth in front of home fans at this event and appears to relish the bigger occassions, which he will soon be getting accustomed to on a more regular occurence.
Hamish Brown
Age: 26 | Race to Dubai Ranking: 131 | Official World Golf Ranking: 312
Don't let his name fool you. Son of a Blairgowrie-born professional, who still teaches back home in Aalborg, the 26-year-old may speak with a discernible accent on occasion but he is very much a product of the Danish game. After earning promotion from the Nordic Golf League to the HotelPlanner Tour for 2023, he registered two top tens in his rookie season at that level before missing out on graduating from the Final Stage of Qualifying School. After a series of middling performances at the start of 2024, he won twice in the space of three months on the HotelPlanner Tour in the Czech Republic and China, before finishing fifth on the Road to Mallorca to gain promotion to the DP World Tour. It didn't take him long to be on our screens on the Race to Dubai, playing in the final group at the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open. While he fell away in the final round, a top ten came soon after at the Ras Al Khaimah Championship as he climbed to a career-high 217th in the world. Times have been tougher since, missing the cut in ten of his subsequent appearance on the Race to Dubai. But, where better than in your homeland to reignite his season as he looks to climb back up the rankings and retain his card.
Jonathan Gøth-Rasmussen
Age: 27 | Race to Dubai Ranking: 234 | HotelPlanner Tour Road to Mallorca Ranking: 18 | Official World Golf Ranking: 350
Has already celebrated victory on home soil this year, claiming his second HotelPlanner Tour title at the Danish Golf Challenge in May. Since playing in three events in the Opening Swing on the Race to Dubai at the tail end of last year, he has plied his trade solely on the HotelPlanner Tour as he looks to make the climb to the DP World Tour for the first time. Claimed his first top ten since his win earlier this month to boost his hopes of finishing among the top 20 players on the Road to Mallorca. With this event presenting an opportunity to test his game on the DP World Tour, motivation is not in short supply for the 27-year-old.
John Axelsen
Age: 27 | HotelPlanner Tour Road to Mallorca Ranking: 67 | Official World Golf Ranking: 727
Part of the Denmark team, alongside the Højgaard twins, that won the World Amateur Team Championship at Carton House in Ireland in 2018. Carded an eight-under-par 64 in the first round to help his country edge to victory over a strong USA team that featured future Major champion Collin Morikawa. A four-time winner on the Nordic Golf League, he secured a DP World Tour card for the 2022-23 season through Qualifying School but just missed out on retaining his full privileges by two places. Now back playing on the HotelPlanner Tour, he recorded his best finish of the campaign so far at the Swiss Challenge in June with a tie for fifth. Has since made his Major debut in The Open at Royal Portrush after coming through 36-hole Final Qualifying at Royal Cinque Ports.
