Rolex Returns to Augusta National Golf Club As International Partner at the 85Th Masters Tournament
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PRESS RELEASE ROLEX RETURNS TO AUGUSTA NATIONAL GOLF CLUB AS INTERNATIONAL PARTNER AT THE 85TH MASTERS TOURNAMENT Geneva, Switzerland, 6 April 2021 – The world’s elite golfers will tee off in the majestic, azalea-lined surrounds of Augusta National Golf Club on Thursday, 8 April to contest the 85th edition of the Masters Tournament, the first men’s major of the year. First staged in 1934, the Masters is one of the most compelling dates on the global sporting calendar. In 1999, Swiss watch manufacturer Rolex forged a relationship with this inimitable event, and this year returns as an International Partner. For more than five decades, the brand has been at the forefront of golf, maintaining a special connection with its majors, greatest champions and the organizations that administer the sport around the world. This enduring partnership began in 1967 when Arnold Palmer, joined by close friends and on-course rivals Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player – known together as The Big Three – became the brand’s first golfing Testimonees. Since then, the relationship has continued to grow and flourish. Throughout the history of the Masters, Augusta National has been the scene for some of the game’s most memorable moments. The historic venue is also where numerous Rolex Testimonees have enjoyed success – from The Big Three, who won the Green Jacket a combined 13 times over a dominant 28- year period, to today’s champions, including American Jordan Spieth, the winner in 2015, and Adam Scott, who in 2013 became the only Australian to triumph at this bastion of golfing prestige. This year, however, Rolex celebrates the achievements of one Testimonee in particular, Tom Watson. A legendary figure in the world of golf, the American is an eight-time major winner, two-time Ryder Cup Captain and a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest ever links course players, having won The Open five times between 1975 and 1983. Watson was also no stranger to success at Augusta National, donning the iconic Green Jacket on two occasions, in 1977 and 1981, and it is his second victory that Rolex salutes 40 years later. As he prepared for the 1981 Tournament, Watson had already taken his place among the best players in the world, having captured four major titles. He was the embodiment of consistency the previous season, lifting the Claret Jug at Muirfield and recording 16 top-10 finishes on the PGA TOUR®. To claim the Green Jacket a second time, the Missouri native would have to rekindle a familiar duel with the player he bested four years earlier, fellow Testimonee Jack Nicklaus. 1/5 ROLEX RETURNS TO AUGUSTA NATIONAL GOLF CLUB AS INTERNATIONAL PARTNER AT THE 85TH MASTERS TOURNAMENT Like Watson, Nicklaus was also in the middle of an exceptional run of form that had earned him the U.S. Open and PGA Championship titles in 1980. With five previous Masters wins to his name, he entered the Tournament as undisputed favourite to make it six. With an intimate understanding of the intricate layout at Augusta National Golf Club, Nicklaus began with great intent, and by the end of the second round had established a four-stroke lead over the competition. Watson remained within striking distance in second place, however, having carded a sublime four-under-par 68 in the second round. The challenger continued this fine form into the third round, posting a meticulous 70 to assume a one-stroke 54-hole Clubhouse lead, and he remained in the ascendency the rest of the way. Throughout the final round, Watson played with precision and authority allowing him to withstand the mounting pressure from Nicklaus and the field. Holding firm throughout the first nine, Watson’s crucial birdie on the par-five 15th hole stretched his lead to three strokes before he calmly closed with three successive pars to secure a two-stroke victory, with Nicklaus tied for second place. While the latter would win that record-breaking sixth Masters title in 1986, on this occasion Watson reinforced his status as one of the game’s greatest talents. He would go on to claim another three major trophies and record an extraordinary 38 top-10 finishes, not counting wins, at the sport’s four most prestigious events during a playing career spanning more than 45 years. ROLEX NEW GUARD Seeking to emulate Watson’s heroics at Augusta National will be several members of the Rolex New Guard, a group of young, ambitious golfers striding toward the world stage and playing with skill, integrity and respect for the game’s traditions. This elite band includes American duo Cameron Champ and Matthew Wolff, and Chilean Joaquín Niemann, who have all recorded wins on the PGA TOUR® in the past two years. Like Watson before them, they are seeking to forge their own legacies at the Masters while inspiring the next generation of champions to follow in their footsteps. 2/5 ROLEX RETURNS TO AUGUSTA NATIONAL GOLF CLUB AS INTERNATIONAL PARTNER AT THE 85TH MASTERS TOURNAMENT These rising stars have assumed the mantle from previous members of the New Guard now established among the game’s best players. These graduates include major winners Brooks Koepka and Justin Thomas of the United States and Spaniard Jon Rahm, who all finished in the top 10 at last year’s Masters Tournament. Recently crowned major champion Bryson Dechambeau completes the quartet targeting a first Masters victory. Both Augusta National Golf Club and Rolex recognize the importance of nurturing new talent and building for the future of the sport. To this end, the most promising amateurs from the women’s game were once again welcomed to this esteemed venue for the second staging of the Augusta National Women’s Amateur, which was won by 17-year-old Tsubasa Kajitani from Japan. Taking place the week preceding the Masters, the Augusta National Women’s Amateur provides a prestigious platform for the world’s best female amateur players, showcasing their elite-level play, while evoking the spirit of Masters co-founder Bobby Jones, himself a legendary amateur player. END noteS to editors ROLEX TESTIMONEE MASTERS CHAMPIONS Arnold Palmer (1958, 1960, 1962, 1964) | Gary Player (1961, 1974, 1978) | Jack Nicklaus (1963, 1965, 1966, 1972, 1975, 1986) | Tom Watson (1977, 1981) | Bernhard Langer (1985, 1993) | Fred Couples (1992) | José María Olazábal (1994, 1999) | Tiger Woods (1997, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2019) | Phil Mickelson (2004, 2006, 2010) | Trevor Immelman (2008) | Adam Scott (2013) | Jordan Spieth (2015) 3/5 ROLEX RETURNS TO AUGUSTA NATIONAL GOLF CLUB AS INTERNATIONAL PARTNER AT THE 85TH MASTERS TOURNAMENT about rolex and golf Rolex is committed to the permanent quest for excellence in all its endeavours and has been a long-term supporter of golf in its pursuit of the same. The brand’s enduring relationship with the sport began more than 50 years ago, in 1967, when Arnold Palmer, joined by Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player, became the brand’s first golfing Testimonees. Known together as The Big Three, these legendary players changed the face of golf forever, and their partnership with Rolex marked the beginning of a relationship based on the shared commitment to continuous improvement and unwavering precision. Since then, the affiliation has grown and flourished, permeating every level of the game worldwide. From elite players and golf legends, to all the game’s major championships, where success represents the pinnacle of achievement in the sport, as well as the foremost professional tours and worldwide amateur championships, Rolex is ever-present. In 2021 Rolex further deepened its support by becoming a Worldwide Partner of The Ryder Cup, to act as Official Timekeeper at every iteration of the sport’s pre-eminent team competition. The Swiss manufacturer’s support for the game is built on a strong sense of integrity and respect for tradition that promote the continuity of expertise and transfer of knowledge, and an understanding of the importance of investing in the sport’s development for future generations. 4/5 ROLEX RETURNS TO AUGUSTA NATIONAL GOLF CLUB AS INTERNATIONAL PARTNER AT THE 85TH MASTERS TOURNAMENT ABOUT ROLEX An unrivalled reputation for quality and expertise Rolex is an integrated and independent Swiss watch manufacture. Headquartered in Geneva, the brand is recognized the world over for its expertise and the quality of its products – symbols of excellence, elegance and prestige. The movements of its Oyster Perpetual and Cellini watches are certified by COSC, then tested in-house for their precision, performance and reliability. The Superlative Chronometer certification, symbolized by the green seal, confirms that each watch has successfully undergone tests conducted by Rolex in its own laboratories according to its own criteria. These are periodically validated by an independent external organization. The word “Perpetual” is inscribed on every Rolex Oyster watch. But more than just a word on a dial, it is a philosophy that embodies the company’s vision and values. Hans Wilsdorf, the founder of the company, instilled a notion of perpetual excellence that would drive the company forward. This led Rolex to pioneer the development of the wristwatch and numerous major watchmaking innovations, such as the Oyster, the first waterproof wristwatch, launched in 1926, and the Perpetual rotor self-winding mechanism, invented in 1931. In the course of its history, Rolex has registered over 500 patents. At its four sites in Switzerland, the brand designs, develops and produces the majority of its watch components, from the casting of the gold alloys to the machining, crafting, assembly and finishing of the movement, case, dial and bracelet. Furthermore, the brand is actively involved in supporting the arts and culture, sport and exploration, as well as those who are devising solutions to preserve the planet.