Rolex’s relationship with professional golf has become so deeply entrenched that it is difficult to separate the image of elite golf from that of Rolex watches. As the PGA Championship is currently in full swing at Aronimink Golf Club in Pennsylvania, the brand once again sits at the center of golf’s main event, suffusing the tournament not only with sponsorship, but with nearly 60 years of carefully cultivated prestige. Rolex has been associated with golf since 1967 and today sponsors all four men’s majors including the PGA Championship, along with the Ryder Cup and PGA Tour.
The PGA Championship itself dates back to 1916, exactly 110 years ago. Unlike many modern PGA sponsorships built around intense marketing campaigns, Rolex’s connection to golf developed gradually through long-term relationships with legendary players. The iconic Swiss brand’s association with golf began in 1967 through “handshake” endorsement agreements with Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player – the “Big Three” Rolex Testimonees who helped globalize both televised golf and the modern PGA era, dating from a time when golfers still dressed like country club swells.
The Big Three and Their Rolex Watches
Those associations still shape the image of the PGA Championship today. Palmer, winner of seven major championships and one of Rolex’s earliest golf Testimonees, was long associated with the Rolex 1803, which is a yellow-gold Day-Date “President,” one of the most famous vintage Rolex references. Gary Player, winner of nine majors, one of only six golfers to complete the career Grand Slam and another longtime Rolex Testimonee, represented an older generation of understated Rolex elegance often linked to the Datejust 1601. Jack Nicklaus, whose record 18 major championships remains untouched, is closely associated with the modern Rolex 228238, a yellow-gold Day-Date 40 “President” reference, successor to Palmer’s watch.
Modern PGA stars tend to favor larger and more overtly technical Rolex sports watches, reflecting both changing tastes and the increasingly performance-oriented image of professional golf itself. Tiger Woods, Rolex’s most famous modern golf Testimonee and winner of 15 major championships, has frequently been photographed wearing the Sea-Dweller Deepsea 116660 ‘Rolex James Cameron“, as well as the GMT-Master II 126710BLNR “Rolex Batman.” Both watches are much more emphatic than the restrained dress pieces associated with earlier generations of PGA icons.
Why the Sky-Dweller Has Become a PGA Favorite
The Sky-Dweller 326934 has also emerged as something of a favorite among current PGA players. Rolex Testimonee Scottie Scheffler, currently the world’s top-ranked golfer and winner of two Masters titles, has frequently worn the steel-and-white-gold annual calendar model, as has fellow Rolex Testimonee Jordan Spieth, winner of three major championships including the Masters, U.S. Open and Open Championship. Rolex Testimonee Justin Thomas, winner of two PGA Championships, has also been associated with the Sky-Dweller 326934, whose blend of technical complexity and luxury positioning fits neatly into the modern PGA landscape.
Daytona and Day-Date Watches in Today’s PGA Era
Not every PGA-associated Rolex pairing leans conservative. Rolex Testimonee Brooks Koepka, winner of five major championships including three PGA Championships, has frequently been seen wearing the “Rolex Panda” Daytona 116500LN, Rolex’s black ceramic-bezel chronograph that has become perhaps the most sought-after steel sports watch of the past decade. Meanwhile Rolex Testimonee Jon Rahm, winner of both the Masters and U.S. Open, has been associated with the yellow-gold Rolex 228238 Day-Date 40 “President,” continuing Rolex’s longstanding connection between elite PGA golfers and the Day-Date line established by Palmer and Nicklaus.
Rolex as a Symbol of PGA Success
Rolex does not officially award a signature watch to PGA Championship winners in the way some sports partnerships such as those in the world of motor racing revolve around trophy watches. Instead, Rolex has “positioned itself as the epitome of PGA success itself,” notes Paul Altieri, Founder and CEO of Bob’s Watches. “The watches are not the prize itself; but rather the prize object almost all successful golfers eventually choose to wear. The alliance between Rolex and professional golf is one of strongest there is.”
