Masters rookie shares the 1 thing to do when striking it poorly

What a Masters debut its been for Nicolai Hojgaard, who finds himself sitting near the top of the leaderboard on Friday afternoon.

Despite the strong start for the 23-year-old Dane, he’ll be the first to tell you that Friday was much more of a grind than Thursday was, with his 73 falling short of his expectations. Still, shooting one over at Augusta is nothing to pout about — especially given the windy conditions, which has played a major role in impacting scores all day.

Hojgaard knows this, and he isn’t being too hard on himself as he looks toward the weekend.

Instruction

“It’s really, really tricky. Wind is swirling. It’s gusting. There’s some tough shots on the back nine. Front nine is tricky as well,” he said following his second round on Friday.

“I felt like I managed my game really well today, even though I didn’t strike it properly. I felt like I was a bit all over the place, but kind of putted myself around, which was quite good to see — so, yeah, I’m looking forward to the next two days.”

As he should, considering he’s just a few shots back of the leaders at the moment.

“There’s plenty of chances out there even though it’s windy,” he added. “You’ve got to play on the fat side all the time. You’ve got to use the slopes and the greens. I just managed to make a couple mistakes in the end, which I feel like it’s very, very expensive at the moment.”

Hojgaard had to grind through a difficult weather day, and after admitting his ball-striking wasn’t up to his expectations, offered a good piece of instruction when addressing it.

News

When asked about the adjustments he needs to make to get his ball around, Hojgaard said the following.

“[I keep] a really good mind. Just in general, patience. Be really calm, even though you’re hitting bad shots that aren’t necessarily that bad,” he advises. “I don’t feel like I hit a bad shot on the last two holes. Maybe the tee on 17, but the second shot felt decent, and I ended up in a really bad spot. That’s part of it.”

Despite the difficult Friday, Hojgaard knows what’s in front of him — and is enjoying the thrill of competing in his first-ever Masters — as he looks to become the first Masters rookie to win the green jacket since Fuzzy Zoeller did so in 1979.

“It feels good and I’m enjoying the challenge,” he said. “There’s a lot to look forward to on the weekend.”

Rukket Sports Pathfinder Impact Mat™

Are you looking for a golf training mat to help your golf game? The Rukket Pathfinder Impact Mat™ was designed with input from professional golfers and golf teachers to help players of all abilities improve their game. The strike mat tracks club face alignment and helps ensure clean contact with the ball while the foam pylons can be used to keep your swing on plane. Use all four pylons to practice hitting straighter shots or remove pylons to practice hitting draw or fade shots. It’s the most versatile golf swing practice mat available and works with every club in your bag! Features 2-in-1 golf swing training mat combining the features of an impact mat / strike mat and a swing path trainer to help golfers quickly identify and correct common swing problems like hooks and slices. It’s a golf swing impact / strike mat to help identify and correct club face alignment. Use the “velvet” turf to ensure you’re making clean contact with the ball. It’s also a golf swing training aid to help with swing plane alignment. Use it to fix a slice or a hook, and to practice hitting draw and fade shots. What’s in the Box (1) Rukket Pathfinder Impact Mat™ (4) Foam Pylons (1) Instruction Booklet Product Specs 25in x 13in x 0.8in RUKKET FAIR PLAY GUARANTEE & LIFETIME WARRANTY: At Rukket Sports we know you came to win. We also understand that in order to win you need to train hard, so that’s why we’re proud to offer the Rukket Fair Play Guarantee & Lifetime Warranty for no-risk purchasing plus outstanding USA-based customer service!

$69.99 from Fairway Jockey

View Product