Rolex and golf: A partnership built on precision and high standards
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Anna Nordqvist, a Rolex Testimonee since 2009, is Team Europe captain for the 2026 Solheim Cup.
PHOTO: ROLEX
S. Murali
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You cannot miss the iconic Rolex clocks even if you wanted to.
They are synonymous with golf, appearing in every Major and every other golf event worth mentioning.
It is a partnership carefully built over the years, designed to signify Rolex’s dedication to precision and high standards, qualities it identifies with the game of golf.
But what you might not have realised is how the brand has also dedicated itself to growing the women’s game, something that 2026 Solheim Cup captain Anna Nordqvist has experienced first hand.
A Rolex Testimonee since 2009, the Swede is one of most successful golfers of her generation, winning three of the five women’s Majors, as well as nine other titles on the LPGA and Ladies European Tour.
Said the 38-year-old, who has been on the winning side in four of the last seven times she has represented Europe in the Solheim Cup: “Rolex has been my longest standing sponsor and longest supporter. They’ve supported me through my ups and downs, and everything in between. I feel like the way that they grow sports, but the women’s game, in particular, is amazing.
“There are lots of great companies supporting the game of golf, but they support men’s golf in particular or more than the women’s game, whereas Rolex has always supported more in equal measure. Those are the types of partnerships we need for the women’s game to grow.”
Other than the men’s Majors, Rolex is hugely involved in women’s golf, partnering in all five Major championships, including The Evian Championship, and the Solheim Cup, which is the women’s equivalent of the Ryder Cup.
Nordqvist explained that it is because the company understands how important it is to nurture a sport that is growing among women players.
Said the Swede: “I don’t think a lot of people realise just how good women are – specifically, how good women’s golf is, the level we’re at and how it just keeps growing. I’ve been fortunate to be part of it, professionally, for the last 17 years, and you can just see how much it’s improving.”
Rolex has also realised the importance of investing in the junior and amateur ranks, supporting the American Junior Golf Association (AJGA), which helps youngsters earn college golf scholarships through competitive junior golf. AJGA alumni now part of the Rolex family of Testimonees include Tiger Woods, Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas and Lexi Thompson.
It is also an important part of amateur tournaments across the globe, including the British Amateur Championship, US Amateur Championship, Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship and this week’s World Amateur Team Championships at Tanah Merah Country Club.
It is no wonder that the chief executive officer at the Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) of America, Derek Sprague, describes Rolex as the “most powerful brand in golf”.
Said the 57-year-old: “They’ve been supporting golf for 60 years. You can’t turn on any golf around the world without seeing the Rolex brand. In my new role, I’ve been talking to our commercial team about making sure that we partner with great partners, and Rolex is at the top of that list.
“We highly value this relationship with Rolex at the PGA of America and the Ryder Cup, and it’s been incredible to see what they’ve done for the game of golf.”
