The WPGA Tour of Australasia has announced a new major partnership with Rolex, the prestigious Swiss watchmaker.

The agreement sees Rolex become Official Timekeeper of the BMW Australian PGA Championship, one of Australian golf’s majors, as well as a Major Partner of the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia and WPGA Tour of Australasia.

Commenting on the partnership, PGA of Australia CEO, Gavin Kirkman, said: “We are delighted to welcome Rolex as a Major Partner of the PGA of Australia; our premier tournament, the BMW Australian PGA Championship; and our tours which are producing the new generation of stars. Rolex is synonymous with golf with a rich history in our sport, and through Major championships around the world, that dates back almost six decades.

“Rolex shares our dedication to enhancing the game for future generations and we look forward to the mutual benefits that will come from having Rolex at the heart of professional golf in Australia through the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia and WPGA Tour of Australasia.”

The iconic Rolex clock, which has become a feature of golf events at all levels of the game across the world, will sit beside Royal Queensland’s first tee at the BMW Australian PGA Championship on November 21-24 in Brisbane.

Managing Director of Rolex Australia, Benoit Falletti, commented: “Rolex is proud to expand its support of golf in Australia, a country with more than 3.5 million active golf players and some of the world’s top ranking golf courses. The PGA of Australia promotes a thriving industry of golf professionals and presents a world-class tournament with the annual Australian PGA Championship event. We look forward to this exciting new partnership and to further developing the alignment between Rolex and Golf in this region.”

The PGA of Australia is the third oldest Professional Golfers Association in the world and traces its origins back to 1911 when a group of expatriate Scottish golf Professionals formed a national association to promote the game of golf and elevate the vocation of the golf Professional within Australia.

Rolex has deep roots with Australian golf, with its long-standing support including having 2013 Masters champion Adam Scott and 2015 PGA Championship winner Jason Day among its family of Testimonees.

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 almost 60 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.

Rolex is deeply committed to the amateur game and is a partner of important amateur tournaments across the globe, including the ground-breaking Augusta National Women’s Amateur launched in 2019, The British Amateur Championship, U.S. Amateur Championship, European Amateur Championship, Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship, Latin America Amateur Championship and Women’s Amateur Latin America Championship. Rolex also supports the leading amateur team competitions, the Arnold Palmer Cup, Walker Cup, Curtis Cup, Junior Ryder Cup and World Amateur Team Championships.

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.

ABOUT ROLEX

AN UNRIVALLED REPUTATION FOR QUALITY AND EXPERTISE

Rolex is an integrated and independent Swiss watch manufacture. Headquartered in Geneva, the brand is recognised 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 Perpetual watches are certified by COSC, then tested in-house for their precision, performance and reliability. The Superlative Chronometer certification, symbolised 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 organisation.

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 600 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.