European Tour event to return to Munich as BMW extends backing

German automotive manufacturer BMW has extended its commitment to the BMW International Open European Tour golf event by a further four years.

With the agreement, the event will continue under its current name and will take place at Golfclub München Eichenried in Munich from 2019 until 2022. BMW acts as both tournament organiser and title sponsor.

This year’s BMW International Open will take place at Golf Club Gut Lärchenhof in Pulheim, near Cologne, from June 21-24. It will mark the 30th edition of the tournament as a European Tour event.

As part of the new deal, BMW cars will continue to be showcased on-site during the tournament.

Peter van Binsbergen, head of sales and marketing at BMW Germany and tournament president of the BMW International Open, said: “Extending the BMW International Open to 2022 represents a strong commitment to the involvement of BMW in golf in Germany.

“Our tournament has been delighting spectators and customers for 30 years. It provides a great stage for BMW and tournament partners to present themselves. The BMW International Open has also become a meeting place for the golf industry. We will continue this success story. We are looking forward to the next four years.”

He added: “The decision to return the BMW International Open exclusively to Munich until 2022 was made purely for future-oriented, strategic reasons. We have always felt very welcome in Cologne and we would also like to thank the golf fans in the Rhineland for their support.”

This year’s event will feature the likes of Sergio Garcia, Tommy Fleetwood and home favourite Martin Kaymer. Argentina’s Andrés Romero (pictured) is the defending champion.