Masters champion Scottie Scheffler celebrates with his caddie Ted Scott after winning the Masters … [+]
Rolex is a company that loves tradition. This is manifested not only in the continuous reinvention of the iconic models in its catalog, some of which have been around since the 1940s, but in its relationships. Jack Nicklaus, for example, has been a Rolex testimonee (as Rolex calls its ambassadors) since 1967. Although the Golden Bear, as Nicklaus is known, won’t be competing this weekend at the Masters Tournament in Augusta, Georgia (he retired in 2005), Tiger Woods, a Rolex testimonee since 2012, will be vying for the Green Jacket. So will Scottie Scheffler, last year’s champion and a favorite to win again this year. He became a Rolex testimonee in 2022. The Swiss luxury watch brand has supported the tournament since 1999, and became an International Partner in 2008.
Rolex Day-Date in yellow gold with green lacquer dial
The watch most associated with the Masters is the Rolex Day-Date-40 in yellow gold, with a green lacquered dial to match the coveted Green Jacket presented to winners. In 1967, Rolex gifted Jack Nicklaus with a yellow gold Rolex Day-Date, Reference 1803, and it became his go-to watch. In 2019, after wearing the watch during 12 of his record 18 professional major championship titles, Nicklaus sold the watch at a Phillips auction, donating the $1.22-million proceeds to the Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation. “It was the first watch I ever owned, and the only watch I wore for every professional tournament I’ve won throughout my career,” says Nicklaus. “It has accompanied me at U.S. Opens, The Masters tournaments, PGA Championships, The Open championships, and countless other events for over five decades, and has served me well at every step along the way.”
Honorary Starter and Masters champion Jack Nicklaus drives from the No. 1 tee box to begin the first … [+]
Nicklaus has won the Masters six times, a record that has yet to be beaten. “When I first won The Masters, I was only 23 years old. Back then, the cherished prize was the Green Jacket. The motivation for wanting to win was certainly not money.” His favorite win was the 1986 Masters. “I was 46 years old and back in those days, that was considered old to be playing. I did not expect to win, and shot a 65. What made it special was that my mother and sister were able to witness it. It was the first time they attended The Masters since 1959.”
The gold Rolex sold at auction by Jack Nicklaus to benefit the Nicklaus Children’s Health Care … [+]
Tiger Woods has won the Masters five times, the second-highest number behind Jack Nicklaus. In 2019, Woods completed one of the most remarkable comebacks in sports history when he captured his fifth Masters title, winning his first Major in 11 years. But “I’d have to say that winning my first Major at the Masters in 1997 and falling into my Dad’s arms after will always stand out as the best,” says Woods. “That moment will live long in my memory and forever hold a very special place in my heart.” He adds, “There is nothing better than putting on the Green Jacket. It is the pinnacle of golf and is one of the most coveted possessions in our sport.”
Masters champion Tiger Woods celebrates winning the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club, in 2019.
Comparative newcomer Scottie Scheffler, who turned pro in 2018, has already clocked four wins on the PGA Tour: at the WM Phoenix Open, Arnold Palmer Invitational, WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play, and last year, the Masters. He was the fifth golfer to enter the Masters Tournament ranked No. 1 in the world and go on to win, joining an exclusive group of golfers to accomplish this feat, including Tiger Woods.
Scottie Scheffler wearing the Rolex Oyster Perpetual Sky-Dweller
“To be mentioned alongside the greats of the game like Tiger and Jack Nicklaus is very special for me as a player, and I am very proud to have won a Green Jacket at Augusta and have my name on the Masters trophy with theirs. Having seen their history and relationship with Rolex over the years, it definitely feels very special to now also be a Rolex testimonee like them,” he says. What advice would Jack Nicklaus give to Scheffler as defending Champion? “I would advise him to go to the event with the aim of achieving the same result! It is important to continue the preparation that he has been doing and to stick to the things that allowed him to win in 2022. The conditions of the golf courses and the weather may of course not be the same, making it hard to repeat the exact same things, but the key is to trust and be confident in your abilities.”