BMW GOLF CUP INTERNATIONAL 2008

"Tee-off" in Argentina. Andrés Romero makes guest appearance at the World Final
of the largest international amateur series in the world.

Munich. The BMW Golf Cup International is in its 22nd year. During this time,
the World Final of the largest tournament series for amateur golfers in the
world has been held - amongst others - in Australia, Mexico, Portugal,
Thailand, South Africa and Spain. This year it comes to Argentina: the
highlight of the 2008 BMW Golf Cup International will take place from 1st to
6th of December in Buenos Aires - Argentina's enigmatic metropolis, and the
tango capital of the world. 141 excellent amateur golfers from 49 different
countries will tee off at one of the most famous golf clubs in the country: the
Jockey Club. The competitors have qualified from over 1000 tournaments around
the world. This year, over 100,000 players competed around the globe.

"We are delighted to be able to offer our golfing customers a very special
experience again this year. Staging our popular amateur series in South America
for the first time sees us breaking new ground once again," says Magnus Wiese,
Head of BMW Golfsport Marketing. "The BMW Golf Cup International sets the
standards for global tournament series, with over 100,000 participants.
Alongside our comprehensive commitment to the most important professional
tours, this popular amateur competition is an important cornerstone for BMW as
a 'Global Golf Player'. The World Final is an unforgettable experience for
those involved, and gives them the chance to experience the BMW brand on an
emotional basis."

One of the best golfers in Argentina will make a guest appearance at the
highlight of this year's BMW Golf Cup International: Andrés Romero will help to
make the event such a special experience. In his first season on the PGA TOUR,
the Argentinean won the Zurich Classic at the first attempt. Further excellent
results helped him qualify for the TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP, the season finale for the
top 40 golfers in 2008. The world finalists will take part in an exclusive golf
clinic with Romero, who will also present the trophy to the victorious amateurs
at the closing gala dinner.

A challenging tournament on two attractive golf courses awaits the finalists,
as well as interesting encounters with golf fans from around the world, with
whom they will experience a diverse supporting programme.

The tournament is played in three handicap classes: Men's A (up to handicap
12.4), Men's B (handicap 12.5 to 28.4) and Ladies (up to handicap 28.4). There
will also be a national ranking.

Last year's venue for the World Final was Sydney, Australia. The winners of the
singles competitions were Austria's Josef Kauer (Men's A), Sooi Yee Chiang from
Malaysia (Men's B) and the Czech player Denisa Pavlikova (Ladies). Austria
finished ahead of South Africa and Malaysia in the national ranking.

2008 BMW Golf Cup International World Final at a glance:

Date: 1st to 6th December 2008

Venue: Jockey Club, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Participants:49 countries, 141 players

Nations: Abu Dhabi, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Brazil,
Canada,
Chile, China, Colombia, Dubai, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany,
Guatemala, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Malaysia,
Mauritius, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Peru,
Portugal, Russia, Senegal, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Spain,
St. Lucia, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Trinidad & Tobago,
Turkey, USA, United Kingdom, Venezuela

Organizer: BMW AG

From caddie to PGA TOUR titleholder. The rapid rise of Andrés Romero has its
origins at the Jockey Club.

Romero - with a surname like this, he couldn't fail. Although Andrés Romero
(Argentina) is in no way related to his famous compatriot Eduardo - Argentina's
first world-class golfer - he has been following in the great man's footsteps.
The 27-year-old will be a guest of honour at the World Final of the BMW Golf
Cup International at the Jockey Club on the outskirts of Buenos Aires, and will
demonstrate his golfing prowess to the 141 international competitors in an
exclusive golf clinic. The current number 32 in the world rankings will give
the amateur golfers tips on how to improve their swing and consider strategy in
crucial situations, as well as offering advice on their short game, which is
particularly important at the Jockey Club.

"I am delighted that I can be present at the premiere of the BMW Golf Cup
International World Final in my homeland," says Romero. "Golf is on the up in
Argentina, and the World Final will give this development an extra boost. I am
particularly looking forward to sharing a fascination for golf with the
competitors from around the world, and to giving them some helpful tips on how
to improve their game. "

For Romero, the visit to the World Final of the BMW Golf Cup International
takes him back to the roots of his relatively young career: his dramatic rise
to one of the most promising golfers in South America began as a caddie at the
Jockey Club.

Romero was introduced to golf as an eight-year-old by his Uncle Miguel, who
still coaches him today. At 17 he decided to turn professional - a decision
that meant giving up another of his favourite hobbies: mountain biking. The
adrenalin-filled, cross-country cycling is simply too risky for a professional
golfer. In the meantime, the BMW fan uses a different all-terrain vehicle:
Romero is particularly fond of his BMW X5.

The decision to concentrate on golf proved to be the correct one. Since gaining
his card for the European Tour in 2005, Romero has never looked back. "Pigu"
made his major breakthrough in 2007, when he narrowly missed out on victory at
the British Open. Inspired by this performance, however, he went on to win the
Deutsche Bank Players' Championship of Europe just seven days later, finishing
a clear three shots ahead of the opposition.

The success story continued last season, with numerous top-ten finishes. These
included sixth place at the BMW PGA Championship in Wentworth, England, seventh
place at the US PGA Championship and eighth place at the Masters. He also
claimed his first victory on the PGA Tour: the Zurich Classic. In his first
year on the world's most prominent professional series, Romero qualified as one
of the top 40 golfers for the FedExCup season finale.

Golf with the "Gauchos". The Jockey Club has been one of the most exclusive
golf clubs in South America since 1930.

The highlight of the BMW Golf Cup International is coming to South America for
the first time. The venue for the World Final is Buenos Aires, the pulsating
capital of Argentina. The eighth largest city on the planet stretches about
3,800 kilometres from North to South, covering numerous climatic and vegetation
zones, and boasting 250 attractive golf courses. The fact that golf is booming
in football-crazy Argentina was demonstrated by the country's sports
personality of the year in 2007: Angel Cabrera, who won the US Open in that
year, came through to win the title against all the football stars. Alongside
Cabrera, winner of the 2005 BMW PGA Championship, Argentina can boast another
of the top golfers in the world at present in the form of Andrés Romero.

"We traditionally invite the world finalists to play at one of the most
beautiful golf courses in the world. This year we decided upon Argentina. These
are uncharted waters for us, as the World Final of the BMW Golf Cup
International has never been staged in South America," says Magnus Wiese, Head
of BMW Golfsport Marketing. "This decision is in keeping with our philosophy:
the BMW Golfsport commitment is globally-oriented, and is not just restricted
to the established golfing markets. Furthermore, the venue of Buenos Aires will
contribute to making the World Final experience unforgettable for all the
competitors."

With 13 million inhabitants - one-third of all Argentineans - Buenos Aires is
the commercial, industrial and cultural centre of the country, and one of the
largest conurbations in South America. The port city is the undisputed home and
international capital of the tango, and hosts the annual Tango World
Championship. It is also the home of one of the most famous golf clubs in South
America: the Jockey Club.

It was the renowned golf course architect Alister Mackenzie who designed the
two 18-hole courses at the Jockey Club in 1930, naming them "Colorada" (red)
and "Azul" (blue). The first course to be completed, on 24th December 1930, was
the par-72 "Colorada Course". With a length of 6,241 metres, it is slightly
longer than the "Azul Course" (5,810 metres, par 72).

Many of the world's top golfers have already been impressed by the numerous
challenges offered by the two courses. As well as long holes, these challenges
include undulating fairways and well-defended greens that are also tricky to
read. The Jockey Club has played host to many championships. In 1946 the
Argentina Open took place on both courses for the only time, with Lloyd Mangrum
hitting a course record of 63 shots for the Azul Course - a record that still
stands today. Mark Calcavecchia eventually set the course record (63 shots) for
the Colorada Course in 1993. The Jockey Club has also hosted the World Cup in
1962 and 1970, the Miguel Angel Juárez Celman Open Tournament Cup in 1959, the
Argentine Republic Open Championship on numerous occasions, the 1985 Andes Cup,
and the Hispanic Cup in 1962.

Further Information:

Nicole Stempinsky
BMW Sport Communication
Tel.: +49-89-382-51 58 4
Mobile: +49-151-174 177 25
Nicole.Stempinsky@bmw.de
www.press.bmwgroup.com

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