Geneva, 6 June 2023 – The Los Angeles Country Club will become the 53rd venue to stage the U.S. Open when it hosts its first Major championship from 15–18 June. The third men’s Major of the season takes place at some of the most iconic venues in the United States and this golf course boasts sweeping views of downtown Los Angeles and Century City.
First held in 1895, the U.S. Open is the flagship competition of the United States Golf Association (USGA). It is regarded as a Major for all players – experienced professionals and amateurs, legends of the game and newcomers alike. The championship has been the source of memorable triumphs for an elite band of Rolex Testimonees, most notably Jack Nicklaus, who shares the record for the most victories, having lifted the coveted U.S. Open Trophy on four occasions (1962, 1967, 1972, 1980).
Rolex has been at the heart of golf for almost 60 years. The affiliation began in 1967 when Arnold Palmer became the brand’s first golf Testimonee, joined by close friends and fellow members of The Big Three, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player. Since then, the association with the sport has grown and flourished. The Swiss watchmaker has forged 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 four annual Majors in men’s golf that constitute the pinnacle of achievement, including the U.S. Open, at which Rolex has been Official Timekeeper since 1980.
At this revered event, accuracy is everything. Competitors must play with precision, consistency and resilience, attributes that define Rolex’s own pioneering spirit and quest for perpetual excellence, in its watchmaking and all other endeavours.
This year, Matt Fitzpatrick will attempt to defend his title after winning his first Major at The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts, last year. He will be seeking to emulate fellow Testimonee Curtis Strange, who won consecutive U.S. Open titles in 1988, 1989.
Speaking ahead of this year’s tournament, Matt Fitzpatrick said: “To win my first Major at the U.S. Open in June 2022 on the same course that I won the 2013 U.S. Amateur meant the world. I am really looking forward to the U.S. Open in Los Angeles. I have played at the Los Angeles Country Club once before and thought it was a great golf course. I am sure it will be in great shape. I am excited by the challenge of defending my title. Hopefully, I will play well and become the only Englishman to defend the U.S. Open. That would be an amazing title to have.”
Other Testimonees have triumphed at the event, namely Arnold Palmer (1960), Gary Player (1965), Tom Watson (1982), Tiger Woods (2000, 2002, 2008), Jordan Spieth (2015) and Jon Rahm (2021).
Reflecting on his strong affinity with the U.S. Open, where he claimed his maiden Major victory, and its unique challenges, Jon Rahm said: “The U.S. Open is one of the toughest tests of a player. Every aspect of your game has to be at the highest possible level to win.” The Spaniard, who added a second Major title at the Masters Tournament in April, added: “It is amazing to think that fellow Rolex Testimonee Jack Nicklaus won the U.S. Open title four times and Tiger Woods won it three times. As it is staged at a variety of courses, you cannot learn a course and manoeuvre around it like you can at some tournaments. You just have to be the best player that week – very simple. You can win the U.S. Open once but to repeat the feat is incredibly difficult.”
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 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 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 Perpetual 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 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.
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ROLEX AND GOLF:
https://newsroom.rolex.com/world-of-rolex/rolex-and-sports/rolex-and-golf
ROLEX NEWSROOM:
https://newsroom.rolex.com
MEDIA CONTACT
Virginie Chevailler
Rolex SA
virginie.chevailler@rolex.com
+41 (0)22 302 26 19
Merrick Haydon
rEvolution
mhaydon@revolutionworld.com
+44 (0)7748 186 833