In-form Danish golfer Rasmus Neergard-Petersen has travelled ‘Down Under’ to Australia comfortably feeling sky high after his recent pairing with Grand Slam winning Rory McIlroy.
Neergard-Petersen found himself teeing-up alongside McIlroy for the third round of the DP World Tour season-ending event in Dubai and with still a real opportunity of denying Mcllroy a seventh Race to Dubai No. 1 crown.
It was an impressive ‘Moving Day’ from Neegard-Petersen superbly matching McIlroy’s 68 for the duo to head to the final round at the top on 13-under.
Of course, McIlroy turned-on the brilliance as witnessed at the 72nd hole to grab an eagle and force his way into a play-off against England’s Matt Fitzpatrick to match Rors in capturing a fourth DP World Championship tournament title.
GREAT AMOUNT OF CONFIDENCE ….
Admits Rasmas Norgaard-Peterson competing aside @McIlroyRory in third round recent @dpwtc & ending the day T1st with Grand Slam
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In the biggest picture McIlroy’s final event showing was more than enough to now be just one Race to Dubai winning season from matching Colin Montgomerie’s eight No. 1 efforts.
And while Neergard-Petersen, who had led going into the last day eventually settled for a fourway share of third and a prize of Euro 417,841 he’s assured himself of joining McIlroy on next year’s PGA Tour thanks to securing the second last place among the eligible leading 10 in earning 2026 PGA Tour membership.
However it was competing alongside McIlroy over the last day in Dubai the 26-year-old was asked ahead of teeing-up in this week’s co-sanctioned BMW Australian PGA tite in Brisbane.
“I take a great amount of confidence in that. I’ve always had the belief that I’m capable of competing in the biggest events,” said Neegard-Peterson.
“But again to do it there with Rory on that stage. It’s quite funny, I thought about this during the past week. The fact that when we’re walking off 13, I think I’m six behind Roy at that point, and we started with the same score and then going to the tee we’re tied. It’s one of those things. I remember the walk from 17 to 18. That might be the part of it that’s little bit of an out of body experience.
“And it’s one of those things, once you go on a run like that, it’s all about just staying in the present and just focusing on the next shot and not really thinking about what you have done and it’s more about what you need to do.
“The way I play my best golf is when I just kind of let it come to me and that might be right out of the gate, getting off to a great start ,or it might be right in the end”.
This week’s event at the Royal Queensland club is his second straigth appearance in the championship though much different to a year ago, as he was playing his first season as a full member, albeit one who had enjoyed a rapid rise after claiming three wins on the HotelPlanner Tour.
He arrived in the Queensland capital having claimed eight DP World Tour top tens, including a runner-up finish in Qatar whereas he also finished second on his PGA TOUR debut at the Puerto Rico Open and he will now be spending more time in the US after his Race to Dubai placing of 15th earned him dual membership.
He admits it is “weird” being back with so much having changed but is eager to get started on what could be another life-changing year.
“I was practising earlier today, told my caddie that it’s kind of a weird feeling being back here because so much happened in the last 12 to 13 months,” he said.
“It’s a weird feeling to think that it’s only 12 months ago I was having my first start, the first whole season and now I’m going to the PGA TOUR next year.
“It’s been crazy to say the least. Obviously really happy with where my game is at. I’ve been playing some really good golf and I really, really loved it down here last year.
“I’ve actually been looking forward to coming down to Australia again for quite some time.”
Neergard-Petersen will meet-up next week with McIlroy with the duo to contest the Crown Australian Open, and McIlroy looking to capture the Stonehaven Cup for a second time after leaving Aussie fans virtually dumbfounded in finishing birdie, birdie 11-years ago to deny red-hot favourite Adam Scott the title at Royal Sydney.
