
Geneva, Switzerland, Tuesday, 7 November 2017 – From 16 – 19 November the Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai will host the final tournament of the Rolex Series, the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai. The European Tour’s top golfers will be vying to crown their season as champion and, for those leading the Race to Dubai Rankings Presented by Rolex, win the coveted Race to Dubai title.
First held in 2009 and becoming part of the innovative Rolex Series in 2017, the DP World Tour Championship is the season finale of the European Tour, of which Rolex has been a partner since 1997. Over this 20-year partnership, Rolex has cemented its place at the heart of the game in Europe, and the introduction of the Rolex Series offers players the chance to compete in a new premium tournament category on the European Tour’s International Schedule.
Played on the world-renowned Earth Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates, the DP World Tour Championship is a challenging tournament, befitting the season finale. The Earth Course’s sparkling white bunkers and deep green fairways are inspired by the best courses in Europe, providing the perfect setting to crown the season’s best golfer.
Defending champion and Rolex Testimonee Matthew Fitzpatrick said: “I’m looking forward to returning to Dubai to defend my title. This year Rolex celebrates its 50th anniversary supporting golf, and it’s a privilege for me to be a part of the Rolex family and experience that support first hand. The Rolex Series highlights Rolex’s continued commitment to our game and has been an exceptional addition to the season, enabling both European Tour players and fans to enjoy an elevated level of golf, closer to home.”
RACE TO DUBAI
Founded in 2009, and now spanning 47 tournaments in 26 countries, the Race to Dubai is a season-long competition for European Tour golfers that demands sustained quality and excellence throughout the year. On completion of the DP World Tour Championship the leader of the Race to Dubai Rankings presented by Rolex will be crowned the 2017 winner.
Rolex Testimonee Jon Rahm, ranked number five in the Official World Golf Rankings and already a Rolex Series winner, is a strong contender to win the Race to Dubai. At number four in the Race to Dubai Rankings presented by Rolex, a strong finish for the Spaniard at the DP World Tour Championship could see him join fellow Testimonees Martin Kaymer and Luke Donald as winners of the prestigious Race to Dubai.
ROLEX NEW GUARD
Joining the 23-year-old Fitzpatrick and 22-year-old Rahm in Dubai will be a number of remarkably talented young golfers and fellow Testimonees who belong to the Rolex New Guard. Like their iconic predecessors Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player, also known as ‘The Big Three’, these young players are eager to leave their mark on the sport, ushering in a new generation at the top of the men’s game. Among them are Haotong Li, Thorbjørn Olesen and Thomas Pieters and who have eight European Tour wins between them. Fellow Testimonees competing in Dubai include two-time Major champion Martin Kaymer, and two-time European Tour winner Nicolas Colsaerts.
ROLEX TESTIMONEES CONTESTING THE 2017 DP WORLD TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP, DUBAI
Nicolas Colsaerts
Matthew Fitzpatrick
Martin Kaymer
Haotong Li
Thorbjørn Olesen
Thomas Pieters
Jon Rahm
ROLEX TESTIMONEE RACE TO DUBAI WINNERS
Martin Kaymer (2010)
Luke Donald (2011)
ROLEX TESTIMONEE DP WORLD TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP, DUBAI WINNERS
Matthew Fitzpatrick (2016)
ABOUT THE ROLEX SERIES
Commencing in 2017, the Rolex Series is the premium tournament category on the European Tour’s International Schedule. Presently comprising eight tournaments, staged in a variety of golfing locations around the world, Rolex Series events will offer a minimum prize fund of US$7 million.
The 2017 roster of Rolex Series tournaments include: the BMW PGA Championship (May 25-28); the HNA Open de France (June 29-July 2); the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open hosted by the Rory Foundation (July 6-9); the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open (July 13-16); the Italian Open (October 12-15), the Turkish Airlines Open (November 2-5); the Nedbank Golf Challenge (November 9-12); and the season-ending DP World Tour Championship, Dubai (November 16-19), where the leading golfer of the Race to Dubai Rankings presented by Rolex will be crowned.
ABOUT ROLEX
Rolex, the Swiss watch brand headquartered in Geneva, enjoys an unrivalled reputation for quality and expertise the world over. Its Oyster and Cellini watches, all certified as Superlative Chronometers for their precision, performance and reliability, are symbols of excellence, elegance and prestige. Founded by Hans Wilsdorf in 1905, the brand pioneered the development of the wristwatch and is at the origin of 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. Rolex has registered over 400 patents in the course of its history. A truly integrated and independent manufacturing company, Rolex designs, develops and produces in-house all the essential components of its watches, from the casting of the gold alloys to the machining, crafting, assembly and finishing of the movement, case, dial and bracelet. Rolex is also actively involved in supporting the arts, sports, exploration, the spirit of enterprise, and the environment through a broad palette of sponsoring activities, as well as philanthropic programmes.