Some patrons at this week’s PGA Championship must have been convinced they were seeing double on the fairways in upstate New York.

But they needn’t have worried. The answer is that, for the first time, identical twins Rasmus and Nicolai Højgaard were competing in the same major at Oak Hill.

The 22-year-olds from Denmark have collectively competed at five majors in the past — but never at the same time. And as they teed off in a chilly Rochester, New York, on Thursday, it was a proud moment for father Ole.

“It means a lot for the family because they have been competing for a long time now and for them to be both be here at a Major now is a huge thing for us,” he told the DP World Tour.

Rasmus has picked up three professional titles so far in his career (2019 Mauritius Open, 2020 ISPS Handa UK Championship, Omega European Masters), while Nicolai has claimed the 2021 Italian Open and the 2022 Ras Al Khaimah Championship.

Nicolai Hojgaard gets a hug from brother Rasmus after winning the Italian Open in 2021. Luke Walker

Nicolai was also the European amateur champion in 2018, and the pair won the Eisenhower Trophy the same year.

Unfortunately, Rasmus will not play the weekend after finishing on nine-over on Friday on a tough, tough course, but Nicolai is in a healthy T-35 on three-over after a brilliant second-round 67 vaulted him up the leaderboard.

“We have been talking about the course a lot here,” Ole added. “It is a difficult course, it will be a test for both of them but they are both excited to be here. For me, I don’t just think it is a long hitters course. It is narrow and the rough is very tough.”

But just being here as a family is special for Ole. “Every time we are together it is like being home,” he said. “It is very nice having dinner together, having some chit chats and we have a lot of fun. It’s really nice to be together with them.”