This is the first real big event on the European continent for the DP World Tour – the lowest point at the BMW International Open.
Today, the DP World Tour Calendar flies around the Middle East, but then falls into peace until the summer begins to heat up.
The good news is that from this week to the first week of October, the action has reached top gear, and it all started at BMW International Open at GolfClub Eichenried in Munich.
History, quality, deep fields, Ryder Cup chat, young people, veterans and cracking courses – This is one of the highlights of every DP World Tour season, which is its low point.
history
The tournament was first held in 1989, so it was born in the glorious era of European golf – Seve Ballesteros (runner-in-second in 1994), Sandy Lyle (champion in 1991), Nick Faldo, Nick Faldo, Ian Woosnam (runner-in-second in 1993) and local hero Bernhard Langer (who is a four-time runner).
Paul Azinger won two of the first four editions, Thomas Bjorn, Pablo Larrazabal and Henrik Stenson won the tag team championship. The defending champion is Ewen Ferguson of Scotland.
American tourists
Azinger is not the only winner in the United States. John Daly won in 2001, with Fred Couples and Glen Day both second. This year, Patrick Reed will drive the stars and stripes, as will the Brian Brothers, Wesley and George.
course
GolfClub Eichenried makes itself very popular among fans, as the last nine requests are under attack, so it always seems to have drama.
The park layout ended with 319 yards 4 16, 205 yards Par-3 17 and 568 yards Dogleg Par-5 18th.
With this stretch, there is a high possibility of waving wildness on the rankings and players can be very low.
Argentinians Rafa Echenique and Andres Romero proved this: Echenique scored nine shots in 2009, finishing second, and in 2017, Romero beaten by 7 shots in the last 11 holes.
Looking forward to the unexpected.
field
Apart from Reed, Sergio Garcia, who won the second runner-up, is the same as his friend Luke Donald. The home challenge is also deep: PGA Tour regulars Stephan Jaeger and Matti Schmid will play, 2008 champion Martin Kaymer and most recently DP World Tour champions Marcel Siem and Nicolai Von Dellinghausen will play.
The importance of this week
In a sense, it’s just a matter of looking at past winners. Who doesn’t want to add their names to Azinger, Lyle, Bjorn, Stenson, Colin Montgomerie, Lee Westwood, Robert Karlsson, David Howell, Miguel Angel Jimenez and Ernie Els?
But the competition also marks the end of the European swing and the beginning of the European continent’s star event. Next came two weeks at the Links (Scottish Open, Open), the British and European Masters, the Irish Open, the BMW PGA Championship and the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.
Oh, yes – a small item for the Ryder Cup. There are some summers in the field that can still win their own berths at Bethpage Black – the most likely of which is Dane Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen.
His progress needs to be like a BMW on the German highway, but it is possible.
Read more: Is this the most beautiful finishing in Europe? Discover Golfclub Am Mondsee in Austria’s amazing Salzburg
