Ryder Cup Europe has announce that Rolex has become a Worldwide Partner of The Ryder Cup.
A landmark agreement with the PGA of America – Ryder Cup Europe’s partner in the biennial matches – will see the Swiss watch manufacturer align with Ryder Cup USA for the first time as Official Timekeeper, a role it has enjoyed with Team Europe since 1995.
Already the longest-serving partner of The Ryder Cup, this new global commitment and Worldwide Partner status further strengthens Rolex’s recognised stature in golf, having been at the heart of the game for over 50 years.
Guy Kinnings, Deputy CEO European Tour and Ryder Cup Director, said: “Rolex’s commitment to golf as a whole is unparalleled and this is therefore a truly momentous day both for The Ryder Cup and our sport as a whole.
“The invaluable support of Rolex for over a quarter of a century has helped both The Ryder Cup and the European Tour grow and prosper. With their new alignment and agreement with our friends at the PGA of America, I am incredibly excited at what the future holds for an event which is already recognised as one of the greatest in all of sport.”
Jean-Frédéric Dufour, Chief Executive Officer, Rolex SA, said: “Since 1967, Rolex’s commitment to golf has grown and flourished, permeating every level of the sport. We are delighted to stand alongside the PGA of America and Ryder Cup Europe in supporting The Ryder Cup, the game’s pre-eminent team competition. Through this landmark partnership, which builds on a relationship of more than 25 years with The Ryder Cup, Rolex takes the next historic step in further deepening our support for this iconic and unrivalled event.”
Rolex, who become the third Worldwide Partner of The Ryder Cup alongside AON and BMW, also assume the role of Presenting Partner of the weekly Ryder Cup Points Standings, which monitors the progress of the leading players on both sides of the Atlantic as they vie for automatic berths on both the European and the U.S teams.
In addition to The Ryder Cup Worldwide Partner announcement, the expansive agreement with the PGA of America sees Rolex become the Official Timekeeper and Official Partner of the organisation and its three annual Major Championships: the PGA Championship, the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship. Rolex will activate against these events onsite and in the broadcast and digital spaces.
“This is a watershed moment for the PGA of America,” said PGA of America President Jim Richerson. “Rolex’s long-standing belief in and support of golf has cultivated an aura of resiliency and trust within the game that is invaluable and, frankly, attractive for our 28,000-plus PGA Professionals to align with. Their commitment to our Association, the PGA Professional Championship and our spectator Championships, all of which feature golf played at its highest level, allow our PGA Professionals to do what they do best, which is to impact the game in a positive fashion.”
Rolex is also committed to PGA Members, their events and grassroots initiatives, as the brand becomes the Presenting Partner of the annual PGA Professional Championship and the Official Timekeeper of PGA Golf Properties and PGA Frisco. Rolex also becomes Presenting Partner of the PGA’s three annual Player of the Year awards: the PGA Professional Player of the Year; Women’s PGA Professional Player of the Year; and Senior PGA Professional Player of the Year awards.
“It’s not often we sign agreements of this magnitude without supreme confidence and comfort in our partner, which we certainly have with our friends at Rolex,” said PGA of America CEO, Seth Waugh. “We’re excited to work with Rolex and their brand, which has represented the epitome of excellence in sport for so long. I’ve found there is something special about having partners of such ilk, for in the end, they motivate others to match their ideals.”
Rolex’s involvement in golf dates back to 1967 and its seminal partnership with Arnold Palmer who, joined by Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player, became the brand’s first golfing Testimonees. Since then, Rolex’s relationship with the game has grown and flourished, providing support for world-class players, the main professional Tours and governing bodies, as well as the finest events on the golf calendar. It now encompasses all Major tournaments – four men’s and five women’s – where victory represents the pinnacle of achievement in the sport.