SAINT-QUENTIN-EN-YVELINES, France – Nicolai Hojgaard glanced at his phone anticipating a message from his brother, Rasmus, who set the course record (62) at Le Golf National at the 2022 French Open.

“Nothing yet,” smiled Nicolai Hojgaard moments after posting a 62 of his own to match his brother’s course record on Day 3 of the Olympic men’s tournament.

Nicolai Hojgaard had a chance to better his brother’s mark with a 14-foot birdie putt at the last hole but it drifted wide and he settled for a par, following birdies at Nos. 16 and 17 to move into a tie for fourth place.

“I've struggled a little bit on the finishing holes the last two days,” Nicolai Hojgaard said. “For me today, it was a huge win for me to see myself hit fairways and hit two good iron shots into the last two and then when I walked to the 18th green, [my caddie] said to me it might be for the course record. I had it in mind when I hit the putt and thought I hit the putt correctly.”

Hojgaard had played the last three holes in 3 over for the week before his finish Saturday. The Dane’s secret weapon may have been Thomas Bjorn, the captain of Denmark’s Olympic team who famously set Le Golf National up to heavily favor the home side at the 2018 Ryder Cup.

“I took him to a good restaurant yesterday that he liked. That's about the credit I'll take,” Bjorn said. “They wanted to get out of the hotel last night, and kind of have a bit more normal night than what they do week-in and week-out. It was a nice evening for them, both of them, and Thorbjorn [Olesen] played well, as well.”

Olesen jumped up 12 spots on the leaderboard with a third-round 66 and is tied for 13th, three shots behind Hojgaard.