The drama is building at the Danish Golf Championship, with Rasmus Højgaard holding a slender one-shot advantage heading into the final round at Furesø Golf Club. The 24-year-old Dane, already a fan favorite on home soil, has shown poise and resilience throughout a week that has tested the nerves and skills of the DP World Tour’s best. With Marco Penge, the Englishman in sensational form, lurking just a shot back, and a host of challengers ready to pounce, Sunday promises edge-of-the-seat action for golf fans across Denmark and beyond.
After a weather-disrupted opening day, Højgaard made his move with a dazzling display in the second round. He carded a stunning 64, matching the course record set by Penge on Thursday, to open a four-shot lead at 13 under par. “Towards the end of the first nine I made a birdie and an eagle and that sort of somewhat got the round going. After that I made quite a few birdies,” Højgaard reflected after his round, according to the DP World Tour. “I didn’t try to do too much out there. I was just striking the ball well, had an idea of where it was going and set up a lot of chances.”
But golf, as ever, is a game of momentum and patience. On Saturday, Højgaard’s lead was quickly trimmed as Penge surged with birdies at the 5th and 6th, briefly overtaking the Dane at the top of the leaderboard. Højgaard responded with a birdie at the 8th, and the two went toe-to-toe through the middle stretch, each refusing to give an inch. The turning point came late in the day: Penge faltered with a missed par putt at the 11th, and Højgaard seized the moment, rolling in a crucial birdie from 12 feet at the 17th before scrambling for a nervy par at the last after finding trouble off the tee.
“It was, but it was dead quiet, so I was looking forward to seeing what the reaction was going to be like. It’s going to be an interesting day tomorrow,” Højgaard said when asked if his heart was racing over his final putt. “Hundred percent, the aim was to be patient. The wind was tricky, gusty, changing directions, so patience was tested a lot. It was great, I really enjoyed it. Hopefully I can bring some tears out there tomorrow. This is our fifth Major, so it would be cool if I could stand there with a trophy tomorrow. If I want to play well tomorrow, I have to handle the situation. I know it’s not going to be totally enjoyable, but I’m looking forward to it.”
Penge, meanwhile, has every reason to believe he can reel Højgaard in. The Englishman has enjoyed a breakout season, claiming his first DP World Tour title at the Hainan Classic in April and stringing together six top-30 finishes in his last seven starts. His Thursday 64 set the tone for a confident week, and his Ryder Cup ambitions have added extra motivation. “I’ve got my own goals to do with that (the Ryder Cup),” Penge told the DP World Tour. “I get that I need to really show what I can do in these last couple of events. I feel like I’ve done that over the last four to five weeks. The guys that I’m going up against to try and get picked in front of are top quality players and guys I really idolise. Just to be in the picture really means a lot to me. I’ll be trying to ruffle as many feathers as I can.”
While the spotlight shines on the leading duo, there’s no shortage of storylines further down the leaderboard. England’s Ben Schmidt produced fireworks of his own on Saturday, matching the course record with a blistering nine-under 64. Schmidt’s round featured four straight birdies from the 3rd, another at the 8th, and a closing birdie to cap off a day that vaulted him into solo third at nine under, just four shots off the pace.
Chasing Schmidt is a group of international contenders all sitting at eight under par: Copenhagen’s own Niklas Nørgaard, Italy’s Gregorio De Leo, American Johannes Veerman, and Sweden’s Mikael Lindberg. Nørgaard, a past British Masters winner, is no stranger to pressure situations and could be a dark horse if the leaders stumble. Lindberg, for his part, made headlines with a spectacular hole-in-one at the 147-yard 2nd hole on Friday, the 16th ace of the 2025 DP World Tour season—just a day after De Leo’s own ace at the 5th, the 15th of the campaign.
Local fans have had plenty to cheer about beyond the leaderboard. Thorbjørn Olesen, another Danish favorite, thrilled the galleries with a dazzling approach to the 16th green on Friday, climbing to four under for the tournament. Meanwhile, Thomas Bjørn, the legendary Ryder Cup captain and 15-time DP World Tour winner, rolled back the years with a spirited effort on home turf. Although Bjørn missed the cut by two strokes, his vintage short game and the roar of the crowd provided a memorable moment for all in attendance.
With the final round looming, the stage is set for a dramatic conclusion. Højgaard, aiming to secure his second Danish Championship title, will tee off alongside Penge at 11:40 UK time, with live coverage beginning ten minutes earlier on Sky. The pressure will be immense, but the numbers suggest the leader has history on his side: in the last 30 years, 29 players have led by five through two rounds on the PGA Tour, and 20 of them went on to win—a strike rate of more than 69%. Still, as recent history shows, a big lead is never safe, especially when the chasing pack includes proven winners and hungry up-and-comers.
And let’s not forget the broader context of a packed summer for golf fans. Across the Atlantic, the BMW Championship in Maryland saw Robert Macintyre surge to a five-shot lead after two rounds, with world number one Scottie Scheffler and Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama in hot pursuit. But all eyes in Denmark are fixed on Furesø, where the wind, the nerves, and the weight of expectation will test the mettle of every contender.
As Sunday dawns, can Højgaard hold his nerve and lift the trophy in front of a home crowd? Or will Penge, Schmidt, or one of the chasing pack spoil the party? One thing’s certain: the Danish Golf Championship is set for a thrilling finish, and fans won’t want to miss a moment of the action.