Winners are grinners (from left) – Vikram Pawah, the CEO of BMW in Australia, A grade winner Scott Sibson, women’s winner Sandra Wang, B grade winner John Palombo and BMW brand ambassador Elvis Smylie.
IT’S the largest international amateur tournament in the world, with more than 100,000 golfers from nearly 50 countries battling it out each year to represent their country in the BMW Golf Cup.
Our National Final, where 123 Australian and New Zealand amateurs strode the manicured fairways of Links Hope Island and the Pines at Sanctuary Cove, took place in mid-October.
And, though the event attracts men and women of diverse handicaps, the Australian National Final was dominated by a golfer of rare ability.
North Queenslander Scott Sibson, playing off a handicap of one and the holder of course records at Home Hill and Ayr, tallied a remarkable 42 stableford points to take the men’s A grade trophy.
That meant he had played the challenging Pines course at Sanctuary Cove, on Queensland’s Gold Coast, in a scarcely believable five-under-par 67.
It was a score matched only by BMW Australian PGA Champion Elvis Smylie, who cruised around the same course in 66 – a sublime round that included seven birdies and a single three-putt bogey.
Smylie, a BMW brand ambassador, took a break from the DP World Tour to attend the event, in which he played with BMW dealers and guests in a separate competition alongside fellow left-handed pro Nick O’Hern.
It was little more than a practice round for the gifted Smylie. But for Sibson, it meant a trip for him and his partner to South Africa for the World Final, which will be held at the fabulous Fancourt Golf Resort in March.
Attending the World Final will be a unique experience for the golfers who triumphed at the National Final in three categories – men’s A and B grade, and in the women’s division. Thirty Kiwis who crossed the Tasman for the event also took part, seeking to represent New Zealand in the World Final.
The BMW Golf Cup is contested throughout the two countries – indeed, around the world – by thousands of keen golfers who seek to reach the National Final by winning one of the 18-hole regional qualifying tournaments hosted by BMW dealers.
This year’s National Final attracted more competitors than any previously held in Australia, dating back to 1988 – with more than 300 players, partners and guests booking out the Sanctuary Cove InterContinental resort.
Vikram Pawah, the CEO of BMW in Australia, explained that the event was held to not only promote the BMW brand, but to provide customers with the opportunity to enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Everybody had some cause for celebration at the BMW Golf Cup.
Sibson, 55, an accountant from Home Hill, near Townsville, said he had been playing golf since he was 18, and winning a place in the BMW World Final was by far his biggest thrill in the game.
“An overseas trip? Are you kidding?” he said, as he revealed his score could have been even better. “The last hole we played was the 17th, a long par five. I was on in two and my eagle putt just lipped out,” he said.
B grade winner Jim Palombo, who scored 45 points from his 25 handicap, was stunned after receiving his trophy from Smylie. The Gold Coast resident shook his head and said:
“This game teaches you humility. It often shows that you’re not as good as you think you are. And, sometimes, it shows that you are.”
Winner of the women’s category was Sydney’s Sandra Wang, a lawyer who took up golf only three years ago during Covid. She tallied 41 points.
The charm of the event is that the competitors and their partners are treated like tour stars playing in one of golf’s major events – shuttled from airports to the Sanctuary Cove Intercontinental and wined and dined in luxury.
As the golfers tackled two of Australia’s finest golf courses, their partners cruised from the Sanctuary Cove marina down to Southport and back, or were escorted to Surfers Paradise for a shopping expedition.
For all of them, attending a BMW Golf Cup National Final was an experience they will long remember.
If you would like to be a part of the 2026 BMW Golf Cup experience, contact your local BMW dealer. www.bmw.com/en-au/fastlane/dealer-locator.html
