Penge beats Hojgaard in final-day duel to win Danish Golf Championship

Audio By Carbonatix

COPENHAGEN (AP) — English golfer Marco Penge tapped in for birdie at the 18th hole to win the Danish Golf Championship on Sunday by a stroke from Rasmus Hojgaard, who missed a chance to climb into the automatic qualifying positions for Europe's Ryder Cup team.

Hojgaard looked on course for the title in his home country when he powered into a four-shot lead midway through his front nine, only to drop four strokes in four holes from No. 10 and allow Penge to take the lead.

Penge walked down the par-5 18th with a two-shot cushion over Hojgaard in the final pairing, but saw his partner roll in an eagle putt from 10 feet to the delight of the crowd at Furesø Golf Klub in Copenhagen.

The 97th-ranked Penge needed to hole a birdie putt from 3 feet for the win and he held his nerve to shoot 4-under 67, finish on 16 under for the week and seal a second European tour title. Both victories have come this year, with the first at the Hainan Classic in April.

Hojgaard (69) was the runner-up and will remain outside the six automatic qualifying spots, just behind No. 6 Sepp Straka, in the race to get into Europe's team for the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black next month.

There is one qualifying event left for Hojgaard — at the British Masters next week. Straka isn't scheduled to compete there so could be overtaken by the Dane, whose brother, Nicolai, took part in the 2023 Ryder Cup outside Rome.

Penge gave credit to Rasmus Hojgaard for pushing him all the way.

“He's some player — to hit the shot he hit into the last there and make eagle and basically make me have to win it, it was unbelievable,” Penge said.

___

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf