35th BMW International Open: Jiménez, Siem, Willett, Fox, Bjørn and more top players tee off.

+++ Crowd favourite Miguel Ángel Jiménez (ESP) back in Munich for the first time since 2013 +++ Marcel Siem (GER) looking forward to his home tournament and Bernhard Langer (GER) +++ Former winners Thomas Bjørn (DEN) and Danny Willett (ENG), defending champion Thriston Lawrence (RSA), and Thomas Pieters (BEL) all tee off at the anniversary tournament +++ BMW i5 Touring is the 2024 Hole-in-One car +++

Munich. Golf fans can look forward to a fascinating, top-class field at the BMW International Open (3^rd to 7^th July, Golfclub München Eichenried). This year represents the 35^th staging of the iconic German tournament and also sees Bernhard Langer bid farewell to the DP World Tour. To mark the occasion, more long-standing colleagues of the exceptional German golfer have confirmed that they will be teeing off at the prestigious event, along with some interesting top players who have not been seen on the fairways in Munich for a long time.

No matter where he tees off – and that has rarely been on the DP World Tour in recent years – he delights the fans. Miguel Ángel Jiménez is a true original, who loves nothing more than to entertain the public. The 60-year-old Spaniard thrives in his role as entertainer, thanks in no small part to the fact that he is a top-class player. Jiménez has played 721 tournaments on the DP World Tour, of which he won 21. Three of those victories amounted to a record when back in 2004 he won the BMW International Open just a few months after triumphing at the no-longer played BMW Asian Open. Victory at the BMW PGA Championship in 2008 made it three titles at different BMW tournaments – an achievement yet to be matched by any other golfer.

“While my main focus lies these days on the PGA TOUR Champions in the USA, I still enjoy playing a few tournaments on the DP World Tour and the BMW International Open is definitely one of them,” said Jiménez. “BMW tournaments have always been fantastic events and I have many fond memories of Munich, the fans, the atmosphere and of course winning the tournament in 2004. This was a fantastic moment for me and will make my return in 2024 even more special. And of course, I am looking forward to catching up with Bernhard at the tournament.  We have spent a long time on Tour together and share many unforgettable moments, especially in the Ryder Cup.”

The BMW International Open is something of a home event for Marcel Siem. His parents ran the catering at the club in the early years, and, despite being born in the Rhineland region, is where he grew up. Last year, the 43-year-old not only played his 500^th tournament on the DP World Tour, but emphatically announced his return to the top echelons of European golf.

“I am very much looking forward to the BMW International Open at Golfclub München Eichenried. It is no secret that this tournament is always rather special for me. Furthermore, I really don’t want to miss Bernhard’s farewell. He is a true role model and has done a huge amount for golf and me personally. It is certainly going to be a magnificent tournament week.”

The BMW International Open is also a special tournament for Thomas Bjørn. The Dane has won twice in Munich (2000, 2002), making him the joint record winner alongside Paul Azinger (USA, 1990, 1992), Pablo Larrazábal (ESP, 1991, 1995) and Henrik Stenson (SWE, 2006, 2016). The 53-year-old’s name is intrinsically linked to the Ryder Cup as Bjørn has been part of Team Europe on nine occasions (three as a player, once as captain and five times as vice-captain), and has enjoyed a lot of success together with Bernhard Langer.

Fans can look forward to another former winner, who really rose to prominence at the 2012 BMW International Open when his victory in Munich was Danny Willett’s first on the DP World Tour. Four years later, the Englishman joined the golfing elite when he triumphed at the Masters. In 2019, he completed the BMW double with an emotional victory at his home tournament, the BMW PGA Championship.

Last year at the Wentworth Club, Ryan Fox (NZL) celebrated the most significant triumph of his career to date. He was the first New Zealander to win the BMW PGA Championship in Surrey. Now, the 37-year-old, with four tournament victories on the DP World Tour, returns to the BMW International Open, where he impressed by finishing third in 2022. "I'm delighted to be back playing in Munich for the BMW International Open,” said Fox. “I wasn’t able to play in last year’s event but I have fond memories and good finishes in 2021 and 2022. The events that the team at BMW put on are always first class and I am looking forward to the 2024 edition of the BMW International Open.”

Thriston Lawrence, who last year followed in the footsteps of his role model and supporter Ernie Els in becoming the second South African to win the BMW International Open, returns to Munich to defend his title in July. Big-hitting Belgian Thomas Pieters will be striving to go one better than two years ago at the BMW International Open, when he lost out to China’s Haotong Li in a play-off.

Nick Bachem, Alex Cejka, Martin Kaymer – the only German winner of the BMW International Open, Max Kieffer, Hurly Long, Jeremy and Yannik Paul, Matti Schmid, Marcel Schneider and Freddy Schott (all GER) have already confirmed that they will be playing at the 35^th anniversary tournament.

As well as the title, they all also have the opportunity to win a fantastic BMW. The first pro to hit an ace on the 17^th hole will not only electrify the fans, but also himself as the reward for the dream shot is the all-electric BMW i5 Touring, made at the BMW Group’s plant in Dingolfing, Bavaria.