GolfPlus July 2018 Digital Edition (July 2018) | Page 29
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Rolex New Guard Seek to Emulate U.S. Open Legend Jack Nicklaus
An elite ¿ eld of golfers from around the world
will gather at one of the United States’ most
iconic venues, Shinnecock Hills Golf Club,
to contest the 118th edition of the U.S. Open,
the championship regarded by many as golf’s
ultimate test and for which Rolex has been
Of¿ cial Timekeeper since 1980. During more
than 50 years of involvement in golf, Rolex has
developed one of the broadest, most enduring
relationships between a brand and sport.
Through pivotal partnerships with organizations
responsible for advancing the game, including
the United States Golf Association (USGA),
which conducts the U.S. Open, Rolex has
become inextricably linked with the many
facets of golf. The Swiss watch manufacturer’s
continuing support is highlighted by its recent
10-year partnership extension with the USGA,
underpinned by a mutual appreciation for the
sport’s heritage and a passion for excellence.
The agreement ensures Rolex will remain the
Of¿ cial Timekeeper of the U.S. Open until at
least 2028.
“Throughout our long-term partnership, Rolex
has been instrumental in supporting our mission
and the game of golf, not only at every U.S.
Open since 1980, but at every level of the
game, from our amateur championships to the
rules of golf,” said USGA CEO Mike Davis.
“Our recent 10-year extension highlights their
ongoing commitment to our sport. For more
than 50 years Rolex has supported the game’s
greatest players and been present for some of
the most iconic moments in U.S. Open history.
Now, from their support of uninterrupted
coverage of USGA Championships on FOX to
our innovative U.S. Open History Experience
and the inaugural Celebration of Champions
event, we look forward to the next decade of
signature moments that Rolex will help create
and showcase to fans all around the globe.”
Since 2012, only 17 players have recorded an
under-par total at the U.S. Open, emphasizing
its formidable reputation and the need for
precise shot-making from ¿ rst tee to last. The
event has brought remarkable success for
s everal Rolex Testimonees, including Jack
Nicklaus, who is one of only four men to raise
the trophy on four occasions (1962, 1967, 1972
and 1980). Since 2012, Nicklaus’ legacy, which
includes a record 18 Major championships,
has been intimately tied to the championship
after the USGA renamed the gold medal
awarded to the victor the Jack Nicklaus Medal
in recognition of his incredible feats at the
tournament. Nicklaus was part of golf’s Big
Three alongside fellow Rolex Testimonees
Arnold Palmer and Gary Player. Great friends
Rolex Testimonee Paul Casey in action on the 9th
green during the first round of the 117th U.S. Open
Rolex Testimonee Justin Thomas on the first tee
during the final round of the 117th U.S. Open
Rolex Testimonee Rickie Fowler on the first tee
during the final round of the 117th U.S. Open
off the course, their rivalry on it was ¿ erce, and
together they won a combined six U.S. Opens.
When Palmer became Rolex’s ¿ rst gol¿ ng
Testimonee in 1967 it was only natural that his
two closest rivals and friends should follow
suit, and the three helped cement the bond
between Rolex and golf. Through precision,
reliability and supreme performance, attributes
that embody Rolex’s own pioneering spirit, the
Big Three left an indelible mark on the sport
and inspired the generations coming up behind
them, none more so than fellow Testimonees
Tom Watson and Curtis Strange, both of whom
were victorious at the U.S. Open in the 1980s.
The Rolex New Guard
Since the millennium, a new group of
golfers has emerged as the game’s vanguard,
determined to write their own history and, like
the Big Three, spur each other to individual
success. With integrity, maturity and respect
– and displays of peerless skill – this Rolex
New Guard is setting today’s standards of
performance. Still in the early years of their
careers, they have already tasted success, most
notably, three-time Major winner Jordan Spieth,
who in 2015, at the age of 21, became one of
the youngest players to win the U.S. Open.
Among these modern-day luminaries is 2017
U.S. Open winner Brooks Koepka, who will be
seeking to emulate South African Testimonee
Retief Goosen, a two-time U.S. Open winner
whose second triumph came at Shinnecock
Rolex Testimonee & 2017 U.S. Open
Champion Brooks Koepka with the Trophy
Hills, which is hosting the event for the ¿ fth
time. In winning last year, Koepka equalled
the U.S. Open scoring record, his stunning
16-under par total putting him four shots clear
of fellow Testimonee Hideki Matsuyama of
Japan, who tied for second place. Justin Thomas
also made history at that 117th U.S. Open,
carding the lowest score in relation to par in
tournament history with a breathtaking nine-
under 63 in the third round. Thomas was later
named the Player of the Year after capturing
¿ ve victories in 2017 including his ¿ rst Major.
The 25-year-old from Kentucky, U.S.A., has
continued this form in 2018 and has risen in the
Of¿ cial World Golf Rankings to World No. 1.
Fellow Americans Rickie Fowler and Spieth,
and Spaniard Jon Rahm, will be aiming to draw
upon their performances at the ¿ rst Major of the
year, the Masters Tournament, in April, where
the trio ¿ nished in second, third and fourth
place respectively.
Fowler, aged 29, has recorded three top-10
¿ nishes at the U.S. Open, including a tie for
second in 2014, while World No. 4 Rahm has
¿ ve career wins, including two Rolex Series
victories, at just 23 years of age. Others vying
for this year’s crown, with tour wins already
to their name, include Rolex Testimonees
Daniel Berger and fellow American Bryson
DeChambeau, Matthew Fitzpatrick (United
Kingdom) and Haotong Li (China), who
¿ nished third at The Open in 2017 in only the
second Major of his career.
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