WITH a global legacy, BMW’s commitment to golf is far from a marketing gimmick – it’s a long-standing, strategic partnership that has been in motion for decades.
The BMW International Open in Germany has featured on the European Tour schedule since 1989, the BMW PGA Championship, played at Wentworth in the UK for over 40 years, last month with a star-studded field and won by Swede Alex Noren, also enjoying a long association with BMW dating back to 2005.
Add to that the BMW Championship on the PGA TOUR, formally the Western Open, one of the longest running events in professional golf in the US, and a tournament which is now a part of the FedEx Cup playoff series. Contested from 2007 onwards with BMW as the major partner, the FedEx Cup playoff event is another example of the prestige automobile brand carving out a deep-rooted legacy in elite golf.
Young gun Elvis Smylie will return to the scene of his breakthrough win in 2024 when he contests the BMW Australian PGA Championship in late November.
While in 2022, that same legacy began taking hold in Australia, BMW becoming the first company to partner with all three national governing bodies – Golf Australia, PGA of Australia and WPGA Tour of Australasia – all under the banner of Australian Golf.
And this year’s summer of golf will again be highlighted by a third year of BMW’s naming rights partnership with the PGA of Australia and their flagship event, the BMW Australian PGA Championship, a tournament which tees off on November 27 and is again set to be a feature of the Australian sporting summer.
Elvis Smylie, a BMW ambassador, returns to the scene of his breakthrough win at Royal Queensland in 2024, with the young Queenslander looking to again capture the coveted Joe Kirkwood Cup.
BMW Australia also has a presence at key local tournaments, private club activations, and luxury lifestyle events, providing discerning golfers the opportunity to engage with the brand not just as drivers, but as enthusiasts.
As BMW Australia strengthens its presence in the golfing world, the alignment between the brand and the sport becomes increasingly undeniable.
“BMW and golf are aligned through shared values—a meticulous attention to detail and the pursuit of excellence,” said Alex McLean – General Manager – Marketing, BMW Group Australia.
“Joy is at the centre of everything we do. Golfers understand what makes a drive truly exceptional, both on and off the course.”
Smith locked in for RQ
IT’S been a poor year by his own lofty standards, but Cameron Smith will be hoping to change all that around when he competes in the BMW Australian PGA Championship at Royal Queensland in late November.
He was always expected to contest a tournament that he’s won three times – twice at Royal Pines (2017 and 2018) and once at RQ (2022) – but tournament officials were nevertheless relieved when he confirmed his appearance in September.
“It is no secret I love playing in Brisbane in front of the Aussie fans, who are among the best in the world, and the Australian PGA is without question one of my favourite events each year,” he said.
Smith, 32, can only be disappointed with his efforts this year.
He’s had five top-10 finishes in LIV events, with fourths in Miami and Mexico, both in April, his best results. Smith missed the cut in each of the four majors and his Official World Ranking has plummeted to 246th, though that measure has lost any real meaning since the advent of LIV.
Ironically, his best performance in the last 12 months was in last year’s Australian PGA, when he was narrowly beaten by fellow Queenslander Elvis Smylie, who will defend his title in this year’s event, scheduled for November 27 to 30.
Also in the field are 2023 champion Min Woo Lee, two-time champ Adam Scott and PGA Tour winner, Kiwi Ryan Fox.
Revered as the winner of the 2022 Open Championship at St Andrews, Smith is a 12-time winner as a professional, including three LIV victories and one team championship as the captain of the all-Australian Ripper team.
He’s played the Australian PGA 10 times previously, for eight top-20 finishes and clearly loves the course – almost as much as he loves the fans who flock to RQ’s riverside circuit.
“The crowds are always incredible, especially for the locals like myself. Their support combined with love of golf is great to see and the party hole is a fun place to be every round,” he said.
Offering a prize purse of $2.5 million, the Australian PGA Championship is co-sanctioned by the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia and DP World Tour, and has attracted a strong contingent of European golfers.
– PETER OWEN
An amateur standout, winning the NSW Amateur and Australian Medal in 1988, before going down in the final of the 1990 Australian Amateur Championship, Rob Willis turned professional in 1992, playing the Australasian and Asian Tours, with his highlight being his victory in the 1995 Dubai Creek Open and third placing at the European Tour's Dubai Dessert Classic. A former Editor of Golf Australia Magazine, Willis, who ventured away from golf for a period to be the media manager for the NRL's Cronulla Sharks, has been a contributor to PGA Australia's PGA Magazine for over a decade and for Inside Golf since its first edition back in 2005. 
