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Golf witnesses a twin phenomenon as identical siblings from Japan, Denmark, and Germany take to the course.

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Golf witnesses a twin phenomenon as identical siblings from Japan, Denmark, and Germany take to the course.

Rasmus Hojgaard from Denmark is set to secure a spot among the top 10 players on the European Tour who will earn a PGA Tour card for the 2025 season. This achievement marks the second consecutive year that identical twins have made their way onto the PGA Tour, as Rasmus’s brother, Nicolai, earned his card last year.

Other notable players include Pierceson and Parker Coody, grandsons of former Masters champion Charles Coody, both of whom held tour cards this season. It seems the trend of identical twins in golf might continue, as several other twin pairs are making their mark in various tours.

Jeremy Paul of Germany has secured his PGA Tour card for 2025 through the Korn Ferry Tour, while his twin brother, Yannik Paul, competes on the European Tour and has an outside shot at obtaining one of the coveted 10 cards for the PGA Tour.

In Japan, the Iwai twins, Akie and Chisato, both aged 22, have made quite an impression this year with three victories each on the Japan LPGA, placing them in the top 50 of the world rankings. Identical twins have been a part of golf’s narrative historically, with notable pairs like Curtis and Allen Strange paving the way, but their presence is increasingly becoming more commonplace.

The Hojgaard twins are particularly distinguished, with Nicolai making his Ryder Cup debut at Marco Simone in Italy last year, while Rasmus has accumulated five European Tour titles, outpacing his brother by two. Currently, Nicolai stands at No. 55 in the world rankings, just ahead of Rasmus at No. 56 as they prepare for the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship this week.

Rasmus narrowly missed out on a PGA Tour card last year, finishing just shy in the final tournament. Reflecting on his brother’s journey, he mentioned, “It’s probably a good thing that Nicolai went over there to start with. Now I can sort of guide myself around and hopefully avoid some of the same mistakes.” They have discussed settling in a more convenient location to avoid the lengthy travel across the Atlantic every other week.

This year, the Hojgaard and Coody twins made a small chapter in PGA Tour history by competing together at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans. It appears likely that the Hojgaards will be the only twin pair on the PGA Tour in 2025, as Pierceson Coody currently sits at No. 130 in the FedEx Cup standings, while Parker is at No. 169 with three tournaments yet to go.

The Paul brothers parted ways after their time playing college golf at Colorado. With Yannik ranking No. 155 globally due to his performance on the European Tour, Jeremy has secured his place on the PGA Tour for now. Yannik holds the No. 43 position in the Race to Dubai and would need a strong performance in Abu Dhabi to have a shot at the 10th PGA Tour card.

Interestingly, their college years coincided with another pair of identical twins, Jenny and Kristin Coleman, who both made appearances on the Epson Tour. Jenny Coleman has made advancements to the LPGA Tour this year, while her sister is yet to move past the Epson Tour.

Looking back two decades, Aree and Naree Song also made their impact on the LPGA Tour, with Aree finishing as runner-up at the Kraft Nabisco Championship at just 17 years old in 2004, while Naree had secured a victory on the Epson Tour.

The Iwai twins maintain a remarkably similar record on the Japan LPGA, each with three wins. Akie holds the No. 26 spot in the world rankings, while Chisato is at No. 48. They have both competed in prestigious tournaments like the U.S. Women’s Open and the Women’s British Open, with Chisato finishing tied for 19th at the U.S. event and Akie placing seventh at St. Andrews.

Adam Scott has consistently shown support for Australia’s golfing scene by participating in events like the Australian PGA and the Australian Open. Despite his long-standing loyalty to his home country, he has decided to remain in Switzerland following the European Tour season’s conclusion, citing the need for quality family time and rest.

Scott remarked, “Throughout my career I have always done my best to come back to Australia to compete in at least some of our great local events. This year will be an exception.” This season marks his 23rd tournament, and he has recently played a role on the PGA Tour board amid discussions about a potential agreement with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund. Currently, at No. 19 in the world rankings, Scott finds himself in the best position he’s held in over four years.

Meanwhile, with Nelly Korda earning the LPGA Player of the Year honor, two awards remain undecided. Jeeno Thitikul from Thailand has stepped back from The Annika Invitational and will not accumulate enough rounds to qualify for the Vare Trophy, which awards a point toward the Hall of Fame. Ayaka Furue of Japan currently leads the Vare Trophy race, closely followed by Haeran Ryu of South Korea.

For rookie of the year, Mao Saigo from Japan is ahead of Jin Hee Im. Saigo is skipping her title defense on the Japan LPGA to compete in the Lotte Championship in Hawaii.

Looking ahead, the PGA Tour Champions have unveiled their 2025 schedule, highlighting a particularly busy week in May with the Regions Tradition, the first of the senior circuit’s five major tournaments. This event is set for May 15-18, coinciding with the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow, creating a unique occurrence where a senior major and regular major occur simultaneously, forcing players like Padraig Harrington and John Daly to choose between the two.

In exciting news, U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau is likely to participate in the first Asian Tour “International Series” event in India next year, alongside his fellow Crushers team members from LIV Golf, including Indian golfer Anirban Lahiri. DeChambeau expressed enthusiasm for the opportunity, saying, “I am extremely excited about the opportunity to play in India.” This would make him the first reigning major champion to compete in India, though Peter Thomson previously achieved this during the 1966 Indian Open.

In the realm of youth, 18-year-old Dylan Brack is set to make his PGA Tour debut at the World Wide Technology Championship in Mexico, while 14-year-old Honorine Nobuta Ferry has received an invitation to participate in the Lotte Championship in Hawaii. Notably, Luke Clanton from Florida State, currently ranked as the world’s top amateur player, is among those invited to a Walker Cup practice session, with next year’s matches slated for Cypress Point.

ESPN+ will feature special coverage of select groups during the CME Group Tour Championship on the LPGA. Meanwhile, the lead for European Tour members in line for PGA Tour cards is held by Thriston Lawrence from South Africa, with Romain Langasque from France narrowly in tenth position.

Statistically speaking, only six players in the 120-man field at the World Wide Technology Championship are already qualified for the Masters, with the winner of this event earning an invitation to the prestigious tournament.

Reflecting on his youth aspirations, Padraig Harrington stated, “My intention when I was a young guy was to play amateur golf. I only turned pro because I was beating the guys who were turning pro.” His induction into the World Golf Hall of Fame this year adds weight to his words.