From putting green to football pitch. Football and banter with the golf stars: The final round of the BMW Interna-tional Open will finish just before kick-off in the Germany v England World Cup match.

Munich. Sunday 27 June, 16.00 has been a date fizzing with intrigue and excitement ever since it was confirmed on Wednesday evening that Germany would take on England in the football World Cup in South Africa. And the match – one of the sport's classic confrontations – has certainly been a hot topic among the players, staff and spectators at the BMW International Open in Eichenried near Munich.

So that all concerned will be free to concentrate one-hundred per cent on the football once the whistle blows, the tournament management have decided to bring forward the start of Sunday's final round at the BMW International Open. The last putt in Germany’s only professional tournament is due to drop at 15.45, leaving the players and fans alike to turn their attentions to the big match in South Africa.

There can be few better places to watch the game than the Eichenried course outside Munich, with the largest contingents of players among the 156-strong field at the BMW International Open coming from Germany and England. A total of 15 home players are teeing off in Eichenried alongside no fewer than 33 from the home of the European Tour and indeed football.

Many of the golfers are also keen football fans, and the banter is already well underway. “I'm going to get a good deal of ribbing,” says Martin Kaymer. The world number 11 is even considering pulling on a German football shirt for his round on Sunday.

His English rival Paul Casey, meanwhile, has already turned out in an England jersey this week – at Wednesday's Pro-Am. “It's currently being washed. Hopefully the German laundry service at my hotel is looking after it nicely,” joked the world number eight on Thursday. “I'll have it with me here on Sunday as soon as the tournament is over.” 

By the time the football gets underway Casey is, of course, hoping to be celebrating victory in one of the most prestigious tournaments on the European Tour. Indeed, the Englishman already has a suitably dramatic image in his mind for the final round of the BMW International Open. “It would be wonderful to be battling for the win with Kaymer or another Germany player over the closing holes, so we can really get the spectators in the mood,” he says.

As if the organisers had somehow guessed that these two old rivals would end up meeting in the World Cup, back in April they invited the last two winners of the BMW International Open – 2008 champion Kaymer and Englishman Nick Dougherty, the 2009 winner – to go head-to-head at the “goal wall” outside BMW Welt in Munich. Assisted by children from the “Birdie Kids” initiative, Kaymer v Dougherty ended in a clear 2-0 victory for Germany…