The Best Sibling Rivalries in Golf

OVER the years many golfers have attempted to follow in the footsteps of famous fathers and very few have enjoyed much success. Just ask the likes of Wayne Player and Gary Nicklaus. 

And how much pressure would young Charlie Woods be under if he were ever to attempt to emulate his father?

There have been some exceptions - Kevin Stadler and Bill Haas come to mind. But following a famous Dad is a tough gig.

However, brothers and sisters are an entirely different kettle of fish. They may actually drive one another on to better things, and the evidence suggests that is the case. 

Here we take a look at golf’s top sibling rivalries…

Matt and Alex Fitzpatrick

The Fitzpatrick brothers were born in Shefflied. Matt won the US Amateur Championship and has enjoyed a stellar professional career, winning seven times on the DP World Tour. But his crowning glory came when he claimed the US Open in 2022, and he followed it with a memorable victory at the RBC Heritage in April 2023. Younger brother Alex also enjoyed a successful amateur career, reaching number four in the world rankings and twice representing GB&I in the Walker Cup. He turned professional in 2022 and has made a promising start on the Challenge Tour. The brothers played together at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans in 2023.

Rasmus and Nicolai Hojgaard

No twins have ever played together in the Ryder Cup but the Hojgaards are surely destined to change all of that. They are already the first brothers to win in back-to-back weeks on the DP World Tour. Nicolai has two victories to his name and in March 2023 he came within a whisker of achieving his first success on the PGA Tour before being pipped by England’s Matt Wallace. Rasmus has three wins to his name, the first coming when he was just 18. They have said that if they are ever paired together in the last round of a tournament that they will give the commentators the ultimate nightmare by dressing in identical clothing!

Brooks and Chase Koepka

The Koepka brothers both have one thing in common - they started their careers on the DP World Tour. Paul McGinley said that he knew Brooks was destined for big things the first time he heard the sound of him hitting a ball with his driver. And boy was he correct. Brooks has four majors to his name. He won the US Open twice and the US PGA twice and reached the top of the world rankings before his body started to protest. Last year he joined LIV Golf and continued to struggle until rediscovering his fitness. He came close to winning The Masters at Augusta in 2023. Chase turned pro in 2016 and enjoyed moderate success in 2017, with five top-10 finishes on the Challenge Tour, earning his DP World Tour card for 2018. He failed to keep his card and returned to the Challenge Tour, without success. He twice failed to qualify for the Korn Ferry Tour and in 2022 he joined his brother on the LIV Golf League.

Nelly and Jessica Korda

(Image Credit: Kevin Diss Photography)

Petr Korda was a world-class tennis player who won the Australian Open so it should be no surprise whatsoever that his daughters, Nelly and Jessica, should show some sporting prowess. They are both world-class golfers. Nelly has won seven times on the LPGA Tour, climbing to the top of the world rankings. She won the gold medal at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo and in 2021 won her first major, the Women’s PGA Championship. Jessica enjoyed a successful amateur career and turned professional in 2011, with her maiden victory coming at the Australian Open in 2012. She has won six times on the LPGA Tour with a best major finish of second at the Chevron Championship in 2022. The sisters have both represented the USA in the Solheim Cup.

Francesco and Edoardo Molinari

The Molinaris made a bit of history when they played together in the Ryder Cup in 2010. Edoardo won the US Amateur Championship in 2005, topped the Challenge Tour rankings in 2009 and won the World Cup with his brother the same year. Edoardo has won three times on the DP World Tour but it is his brother, Francesco, who has achieved the most. In 2006 he became the first Italian for 26 years to win the Italian Open - a feat he repeated in 2016. In 2010 he won the WGC-HSBC Champions in China. In 2018 he won the BMW PGA Championship, the Quicken Loans National on the PGA Tour and The Open Championship at Carnoustie. He also came close to winning The Masters in 2019 until coming to grief at the par-three 12th hole in the final round.

Minjee and Min Woo Lee

Minjee is a former top-ranked amateur. She turned professional in 2014 and by the end of March 2023 had won eight times on the LPGA Tour including two majors, the Evian in 2021 and the US Women’s Open in 2022. Her US Open victory was worth $1.8m. Minjee and her brother, Min Woo, have Korean parents who emigrated to Australia in the 1990s. Min Woo won the US Junior Amateur in 2016. He turned professional in 2019 and has so far won the HANDA Vic Open in 2020 and the Scottish Open in 2021. He has been tipped by many as a star of the future.

Lexi and Nicholas Thompson

At the age of 12, Lexi Thompson became the youngest golfer ever to qualify for the US Women’s Open. She turned professional in 2010 at the age of 15 and the following year became the youngster ever winner on the LPGA Tour. She also became the second-youngest winner on the Ladies European Tour when she won the Dubai Ladies Masters in December 2011. She won her first major, the Kraft Nabisco, aged 19 years and one month. She has 15 tournament wins to her name. It’s a hard act for big brother Nicholas to live up to. He turned professional in 2005 and has played on the Korn Ferry Tour and PGA Tour, with his sole success coming at the New Zealand PGA Championship in 2007.

Nacho and Manuel Elvira

The Spanish brothers ply their trade on the DP World Tour. Big brother Nacho won the Cazoo Open in 2021 and has also won four times on the Challenge Tour. Manuel is competing on the Challenge Tour in 2023 and nearly won in India at the end of March.