Rolex and golf: The Quest for perfection
For almost 60 years, Rolex has been at the very heart of golf. Having nurtured one of the most enduring partnerships between a brand and sport, the Swiss watchmaker remains an integral part of the ancient game as the 2024 season gets underway. Its seminal partnership with The Big Three, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player, who collectively changed the face of golf forever, was founded on a mutual commitment to the pursuit of excellence and a unique respect for tradition. Since then, the brand continues to uphold their values and the relationship between Rolex and golf has flourished, attaining global reach and enhancing the game for future generations.
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2024 marks several significant anniversaries and milestones, including 25 years of Rolex’s partnership with the Masters Tournament, the first men’s Major championship of the season and bastion of tradition and excellence. The world’s elite from the men’s game will then head to Valhalla Golf Club, located in Louisville, Kentucky for the 106th PGA Championship from 16–19 May. The 124th edition of the U.S. Open will be held at Pinehurst Resort & Country Club in June – the fourth time this prestigious tournament will be held there. The tournament, at which Rolex has been Official Timekeeper since 1980, is renowned for its challenging layout and pin placements testing all aspects of a golfer’s game. The Royal Troon Golf Club will then host the final men’s Major of the season – The Open. Taking place from 18–21 July, it will be Troon’s 10th time hosting golf’s oldest Major championship.
In the women’s game, Rolex is Official Timekeeper of the five Major championships. These are: The Chevron Championship, U.S. Women’s Open, KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, The Amundi Evian Championship, the penultimate women’s Major of the season and the only Major to be staged in continental Europe, and AIG Women’s Open.
Thrilling team competitions will be the focus of the latter stages of the season. The attention of the golfing world will first turn to Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Gainesville, Virginia for the Solheim Cup in early September, where Team Europe will be striving to claim victory on US soil; before switching to The Royal Montreal Golf Club in Canada for the Presidents Cup™ at the end of the month.
As the new season gets underway, Rolex’s presence and influence continues to permeate all levels of the game through its association with the world’s finest players and pivotal partnerships with world-class tournaments and guardians of the global game. The Rolex Series is the premium tournament category on the DP World Tour and comprises its five most prestigious events: the Hero Dubai Desert Classic; the Genesis Scottish Open; the BMW PGA Championship; the Abu Dhabi Championship; and the season-ending DP World Tour Championship, Dubai. Launched in 2017 and coinciding with the 20th anniversary of the long-standing partnership between Rolex and the DP World Tour, this collection of elite events delivers the highest quality golf, played in iconic locations, in the global spirit of the game. The 2024 Rolex golf season commences with the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, held on the Majilis course at Emirates Golf Club from 18–21 January; and concludes with the DP World Tour Championship in November. The leading players in the Race to Dubai Rankings in Partnership with Rolex compete at this event for the coveted prize and highly sought-after title.
Rolex is also an Official Sponsor of the men’s PGA TOUR® – the Florida-based tour organizer that co-sanctions more than 130 professional golf tournaments in North America and around the world, including THE PLAYERS Championship and the season-ending FedExCup Playoffs, along with the eight signature events for the 2024 season, which provide exacting challenges and opportunities to excel.
