Geneva, 9 May 2023 – The attention of the golf world will turn to Rochester, New York, from 18–21 May for the 105th edition of the PGA Championship, the second of the four annual men’s Majors and only one contested by an all-professional field.
First held in 1916, the tournament this year will be staged for a fourth time at Oak Hill Country Club, which previously hosted it in 1980 – when Rolex Testimonee and 18-time Major winner Jack Nicklaus claimed his record fifth PGA Championship title – 2003 and 2013.
For more than 50 years, Rolex has been at the heart of golf, forging close ties with elite and developing players, the main professional tours and governing bodies, as well as the finest events on the calendar. This deep-rooted support encompasses all the men’s Majors that constitute the pinnacle of achievement, including the PGA Championship, at which the brand has been Official Timekeeper and Official Partner since 2021 and where Rolex Testimonees have enjoyed regular success.
Justin Thomas returns as defending champion aiming for a third crown, which would also be his third Major title. With his maiden victory in 2017, the American became only the fourth golfer at that time to win a Major before his 25th birthday. He then claimed an unforgettable victory in 2022, triumphing in a three-hole aggregate playoff. In doing so, Thomas became just the sixth golfer in history to come back after trailing by seven strokes or more in a final round to capture a Major title.
Reflecting on his two victories, Justin Thomas said: “I felt like I learned a lot about myself in both PGA Championships because they were very different and I had to go about them very differently with very different approaches but they both ended with the same result, which I was hugely pleased with.”
This year marks 60 years since Jack Nicklaus won the first of his five PGA Championship titles (1963, 1971, 1973, 1975, 1980), his maiden victory coming at the Blue Course of Dallas Athletic Club. Other winning Testimonees to have their names inscribed on the Wanamaker Trophy include Collin Morikawa (2020), Gary Player (1962, 1972) and Tiger Woods (1999, 2000, 2006, 2007).
Collin Morikawa said: “Growing up watching and idolizing great players such as Tiger Woods breaking records in winning Major championships and hearing about Jack Nicklaus’ records fueled my motivation to achieve success like them. When I played my first PGA Championship and I was able to come out on top to claim my victory, it meant a huge amount. The PGA Championship will always be special to me because it was my first Major title and you will never be able to take that away. Lifting the Wanamaker Trophy, and then proceeding to drop the lid is a memorable moment in itself! It is remarkable that your name will always be etched in history and it will never leave that spot in 2020. You create your own memories in the victories and that is something that can be cherished forever.”
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.
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 Championship 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 and World Amateur Team Championship. 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 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.
Release contact information:
Merrick Haydon
rEvolution
mhaydon@revolutionworld.com
+44 (0)7748 186 833