Lydia Ko at the 2018 edition of The Evian Championship. Image courtesy of Rolex
Swiss watchmaker Rolex is returning as a sponsor of The Evian Championship, showing its commitment to supporting women’s gold.
Now in its 25th year, the penultimate major will be held from July 25 to 28 at Évian-les-Bains, France between Lake Geneva and the Alps. Rolex’s relationship with golf goes back more than 50 years, and it has supported the championship since 2000.
Golfing game
The course at the Evian Resort Golf Club is challenging, with narrow fairways and dense rough. Rolex likens the golfers’ need for accuracy to its own attention to detail in watchmaking.
Among the golfers that will take to the course this week are Rolex Testimonees Lydia Ko and Anna Nordqvist, both of whom have won the championship.
In 2015 at age 18, Ms. Ko became the youngest women to win a Major championship. Ms. Nordqvist won in 2017.
Also playing at the championship are Rolex Testimonees Maria Fassi, Brooke Henderson and Lexi Thompson. These women, along with Ms. Ko, have been recognized as members of golf’s New Guard by Rolex.
"Twenty-five years ago we founded this tournament to be a showcase of women's golf in France,” said Jacques Bungert, director of The Evian Championship, in a statement. “As we look back at our history, we are indebted to Rolex, a loyal partner of ours for 19 years, and we look forward to the future with them by our side."
Maria Fassi of Mexico at the Augusta National Women's Amateur. Image courtesy of Rolex
In addition to this event, Rolex sponsors all five women's Majors, and it has partnered with the LGPA since 1980.
Rolex looked back on the highlights of professional golfer Arnold Palmer’s career following his passing.
The athlete credited with bringing an elite sport to the masses died on Sept. 25 at the age of 87. Rolex paid tribute to his memory with a short film tracing his accomplishments and personality, paying homage to a long-term relationship between brand and player (see story).