The 50th anniversary year of the European Tour group was punctuated with milestone moments as the Rolex Series continued to evolve.
The year started with back-to-back Rolex Series events in the Middle East - and two firsts. The Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship moved to a new venue at Yas Links, and the season opener was followed by a newcomer to the select band of marquee tournaments on the DP World Tour, as the long-established Dubai Desert Classic was elevated to Rolex Series status.
In the summer, the Genesis Scottish Open created history twice - as it became the first event to be co-sanctioned with the PGA TOUR and attracted the strongest field ever assembled at a DP World Tour event, with 14 of the top 15 players in the Official World Golf Rankings teeing it up at the Renaissance Club in East Lothian.
The BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth Club celebrated the fifth anniversary of the first-ever Rolex Series event, before the DP World Tour Championship brought the season to an exciting conclusion in Dubai.
As the 2023 season pauses for a break before the new year, we look back at how the Rolex Series played out over the last 12 months.
Pieters claims maiden Rolex Series win in Abu Dhabi
The first event of 2022 saw Thomas Pieters conquer a new venue in the 17th playing of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.
The Belgian produced a masterclass from tee to green at Yas Links over the four days to earn his sixth DP World Tour and first Rolex Series title.
Starting the final round one stroke adrift of third-round leader Scott Jamieson, Pieters moved three shots clear at one point on the front nine and, despite being briefly caught on the back nine, he held his nerve down the final stretch to claim a one-shot victory.
The victory saw Pieters return to the top 50 in the world rankings and provided the impetus for the 2016 Ryder Cup star to enjoy his best-ever finish on the season-long DP World Tour Rankings in Partnership with Rolex.
Hovland triumphs in tense Dubai finish
A week later, Viktor Hovland claimed his maiden Rolex Series title with a play-off victory as he underlined his burgeoning reputation.
The Norwegian, who only turned professional in the summer of 2019, finished birdie-eagle-birdie in regulation play on the final day to shoot a round-of-the-day 66 and set the clubhouse target at 12 under.
Richard Bland joined him in the clubhouse at the same mark with a birdie-birdie finish for a 68, before Rory McIlroy found water with his approach into the 18th on his way to a closing bogey as he missed out on the play-off.
A two-putt birdie for Hovland on the first trip back up the 18th saw him celebrate a third win in five starts and rise to a career-best third in the world rankings.
Schauffele keeps on piling up the wins
The much-anticipated third Rolex Series event of the season saw a world-class field of stars from both the DP World Tour and PGA TOUR descended on Scotland.
In the 40th edition of the tournament and the first under new title partner, Genesis, American Xander Schauffele became the third first-time Rolex Series winner of the season.
After a nervy finish to his front nine, which included three bogeys in four holes, the overnight leader recovered to card a closing level-par 70 to win by one shot from countryman Kurt Kitayama and South Korea’s Joohyung Jim at the Renaissance Club.
The victory was the reigning Olympic Champion’s third in succession after he won the JP McManus Pro-Am earlier that week in Ireland, to follow his triumph at the PGA TOUR’s Travelers Championship.
Lowry lands Wentworth win after flawless performance
The BMW PGA Championship boasts a roll call of champions which includes some of the game’s leading lights, and the best once again rose to the top this year.
In front of record crowds, Shane Lowry produced a flawless seven-under 65 to end his wait for a victory at Wentworth after coming into the week with nine top-20 finishes to his name in this event.
The 2019 Open Champion birdied the last to overtake clubhouse leader Jon Rahm, who had earlier produced a stellar 62, before McIlroy agonisingly missed a birdie putt of his own at the 18th to force a play-off.
Lowry, who added a second Rolex Series win to his triumph in Abu Dhabi in 2019, did not card a single bogey across on his way to victory across 54 holes, after Friday’s play was cancelled following the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
Rahm makes history with Dubai hat-trick as McIlroy wins season-long title
The DP World Tour Championship once again provided a fitting climax to the season, with a world-class field assembled at Jumeirah Golf Estates.
With history on the line heading into the final round at the Earth Course – no player had yet to win five Rolex Series titles – Rahm demonstrated his class to hold off a strong chasing pack to win the season finale in Dubai for a record third time.
The 2021 U.S. Open Champion never relinquished his 54-hole one-shot lead on the final day but despite three opening birdies was put under pressure on the back nine, before finishing two shots clear of Ryder Cup team-mates Tyrrell Hatton, Alex Noren and McIlroy.
World Number One McIlroy capped a hugely consistent campaign by winning the Harry Vardon Trophy for the fourth time, ending the year as the European Number One, World Number One and FedExCup Champion for the first time in his career.
