Swinging into Action
As a longtime champion of golf, Rolex supports gifted young players who have the determination
When Tiger Woods triumphed at The Masters Tournament in 1997, marking the first of his 14 Major championship wins, he ushered in an era of dominance the golfing world had never seen before. Before retiring in 2008, Sweden’s Annika Sörenstam would pull off a similar feat, claiming 89 international tournament wins and 10 Major championships over the course of her career. Today, the record- breaking achievements of Woods and Sörenstam serve as an inspiration for a new generation of rising stars, a cohort of talented young men and women known collectively as the Rolex New Guard. Each one is a trailblazer in their own right, representing a new era of excellence in the sport. All these exceptional young golfers were welcomed into the family of Rolex Testimonees shortly after turning professional. Reflecting the values of the brand itself, every member of the Rolex New Guard approaches the game with a strong emphasis on integrity and respect, while displaying skill, precision, and ambition. Australian player Jason Day won his first Major title at the 2015 PGA Championship at Whistling Straits, and his persistence and unfailing consistency on the course saw him rise to become the No. 1 ranked golfer in the world at the age of 27. Then there is a fiercely competitive American trio: three- time Major winner Jordan Spieth and 2017’s breakout star Justin Thomas – both of whom are only 25 years of age – plus Rickie Fowler, who won the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship in 2016 to reach a career high of fourth place in the Official World Golf Ranking.
EVERY MEMBER OF THE ROLEX NEW GUARD APPROACHES THE GAME WITH A STRONG EMPHASIS ON INTEGRITY AND RESPECT, WHILE DISPLAYING SKILL, PRECISION, AND AMBITION.
Fellow American player Lexi Thompson is another trailblazing pioneer. At the tender age of 12, she made history as the youngest golfer to ever qualify for the U. S. Women’s Open, and eventually became the youngest- ever winner of an LGPA tournament in 2011 at 16 – a record that New Zealander Lydia Ko broke less than a year later. Ko went on to win two consecutive Major championships: the 2015 Evian Championship – for which Rolex is an official timekeeper – and the 2016 ANA Inspiration. The youngest member of the Rolex New Guard, Canadian Brooke Henderson, turned professional in 2014, and claimed her first Major at the 2016 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, beating out Ko to become the event’s youngest winner at 18. Rolex is deeply involved in ensuring a bright future for the game. Since 1986, the watchmaker has been a Premier Partner of the American Junior Golf Association, or AJGA, which is dedicated to the growth and development of young players who aspire to earn college scholarships through competitive junior golf. Rolex Testimonees such as Phil Mickelson, Lorena Ochoa, Lexi Thompson, and Tiger Woods have undoubtedly benefited from the AJGA. The organization prides itself on instilling time- honored golfing traditions, etiquette, and respect, while forging bonds between young golfers both on and off the course. Rolex has also partnered with The European Tour for the past 21 years, and 2017 saw the introduction of the Rolex Series to bring an elevated golfing experience closer to home for European players and fans alike. And with the Rolex New Guard continuing to push boundaries while staying committed to individual excellence and the sport’s core values, future golf champions can look up to them as role models. For more information, visit rolex.com.