BY GODFREY ROBERT HOW LEGENDARY PALMER TEED OFF WITH ROLEX BRAND WOODS CONTINUED THE REMARKABLE TREND SET BY ‘BIG THREE’ OF PALMER, NICKLAUS AND PLAYER

“I’m not much for sitting around and thinking about the past or talking about the ‘AS MY FATHER past. What does that ac- complish? TAUGHT ME, “If I can give young peo- plesomething to think AND HE DROVE about, like the future, that’s HOME THAT a better use of my time. The legendary golfer Ar- POINT, HE nold Palmer makes a good point, but the reality in golf SAID, ‘JUST chatter is that we always, REMEMBER inevitably, dredge into the past. SOMETHING. Golf enthusiasts love YOU DON’T walking down memory lane. For golf history is rich NEED TO TELL in characters, sensational shots and wins, andahost of ANYBODY HOW remarkable scenes. GOOD YOU ARE. And one golfer who has contributed greatly to that YOU SHOW prolific accounts is Palmer THEM HOW himself, the man who revo- lutionised the game. GOOD YOU The apex in the trium- virate, popularly labelled ARE.’’ “The Big Three”, an honour — ARNOLD PALMER he shares with Jack Nick- “The Big Three” Rolex Testimonees, (above, from left) Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and laus, record of 18-time Ma- Gary Player. Below, Tiger Woods’ dramatic comeback at Augusta National last year. jor winner, and Gary Player, the South African megastar Trevino, Bernhard Langer, and other elite tournaments whose main claim to fame Nick Faldo, Greg Norman but always respectful of the is his physical fitness and and Tom Watson ruled the game’s time-honoured tra- strong body at already 83. roost until the arrival of ditions and sporting values. Palmer is a golfing phe- “superman” Tiger Woods. Following Woods are nomenon who placed the Woods has captivated the golfers born in the 1980s brand Rolex, the Swiss golfing world since winning and 1990s who are prodi- watchmakers, on an “un- the 1997 US Masters in his gious talents such as Bry- precedented high” with his first Major as professional. son DeChambeau, Rickie seminal partnership in 1967. More than 20 years later, Fowler, Brooks Koepka, Jon Therefore, Rolex has been he continues to thrill audi- Rahm, Jordan Spieth, Justin at the very heart of golf with ences with his peerless skills Thomas and Hideki Mat- its deep-rooted attachment and dedication to the sport. suyama. with that great partnership. At the 2019 Masters, They are the Rolex New Check out the omnipres- Woods completed one of Guard, a fresh generation of ent gold and yellow sign- the most remarkable come- elite golfers. boards and banners and the backs in the history of the Like “The Big Three” way sight of the Rolex brand at sportwhen,aged 43, he once before them, they are as- the first tee-box of the Ma- again triumphed at Augusta serting their authority on jors and big events. National Golf Club to cap- the sport and in the process The iconic Swiss brand ture his fifth Masters title. inspiringafuture genera- has since grown and flour- A 15th Major–his first in tion of athletes. ished, permeating all level 11 years – spoke volumes of These are players who of the sport, providing sup- his resilience and perpetual for which Rolex has been an and in winning the 2001 give of their best, in the tra- port for elite players, the quest for excellence even International Partner since Masters, he became the only dition of Palmer who once mainprofessionalToursand after injuries and personal 2008. player to win four consecu- said: “As my father taught governing bodies, as well as setbacks had threatened to Among his stellar tive Majors,afeat popularly me, and he drove home that the finest events on the golf- derail his career. achievements, Woods has known as Tiger Slam. point, he said, ‘Just remem- ing calendar. Now he willa16th Major been ranked World No. 1 Today’s pre-eminent ber something. You don’t With the “Big Three” in the chase forNicklaus’ for more weeks than any golfers perform with in- need to tell anybody how gradually fading into the record of 18 in US Masters other golfer (281 consecu- tegrity, skill and ambition, good you are. You show sunset, golfers such as Lee inApril at Augusta, anevent tive weeks and 683 in total); enjoying success at Majors them how good you are.”

THE BUSINESS TIMES WEEKEND | 22-23 FEBRUARY 2020 | SWING BY SPHGOLF | 3