Mercedes‑Benz celebrates the start of The 153rd Open – and with it one of the most iconic trophies in golf: The Claret Jug. Ahead of the Championship, the defending champion Xander Schauffele returns the Claret Jug with a special S‑Class, after winning the Championship last year. As an Official Patron of The Open, Mercedes‑Benz traditionally accompanies the ‘Return of the Claret Jug’ with a special vehicle. This year’s featured S‑Class is one-of-a-kind, customised in the Mercedes‑Benz MANUFAKTUR. The in-house customisation programme enables customers to create an exclusive and personal vehicle with special paint finishes, high-quality interior materials and other individual adaptations. The S‑Class is visually inspired by The Open: The interior features the MANUFAKTUR Signature Yacht Blue Exclusive nappa leather, which is scanned thoroughly by an expert eye in the Mercedes‑Benz MANUFAKTUR workshop in Sindelfingen before it’s being used to craft the interior. Any imperfections like insect bites are circled and cut out to ensure a perfect final product. The white stitching in combination with the Signature Yacht Blue nappa leather pays homage to the official colours of The Open. The headrests and accompanying pillows are adorned with the Championship’s logo, which is meticulously stitched from a stencil exclusively made for The Open. The logo of The Open is also engraved in the centre console. A high-precision program mills the logo into the lid of the centre console with millimetre precision according to an exclusively produced template. The resulting indentations in the material are then filled by hand using a filigree technique, which takes about two hours’ time.
Mark Darbon, Chief Executive of The R&A, welcomes the ‘Champion Golfer of the Year’ Xander Schauffele alongside the Claret Jug at Royal Portrush Golf Club.
“The return of the Claret Jug is always a real highlight in the lead-up to The Open and we are pleased to have Mercedes-Benz support this unique tradition once again. Our longstanding partnership embodies shared values and we appreciate their continuing commitment to the Championship.”
Mark Darbon, Chief Executive, The R&A
“Golf demands precision and passion - values that also define our philosophy at Mercedes-Benz. As a long-standing partner of The Open, we are proud to support a tournament that brings together tradition and the relentless pursuit of excellence”
Mathias Geisen, Member of the Board of Management Mercedes-Benz Group AG, Marketing & Sales
From 13 to 20 July 2025, The Open will be held in Portrush, Northern Ireland. After 1951 and 2019, The Royal Portrush Golf Club will host Golf’s Original Championship for the third time. Mercedes‑Benz has been a partner of The R&A, the organiser of The Open, since 2011. In addition to the Return of the Claret Jug, Mercedes‑Benz will provide a shuttle fleet during the Championship days. Players, officials and selected guests will experience exclusive Mercedes‑Benz vehicles featuring electric and hybrid models.
Mercedes‑Benz’ commitment to golf exceeds the partnership with The Open. Mercedes‑Benz brand ambassador Ludvig Åberg is in an impressive form ahead of The 153rd Open. The 25-year-old Swede is currently ninth in the Official World Golf Ranking and is among the favourites for The Open this year.