Thriston Lawrence from South Africa emerged as the champion of the 34th BMW International Open at Golfclub München Eichenried. It was a thrilling final round, with Lawrence securing a one-shot lead with a brilliant birdie on the difficult 17th hole. Max Kieffer was the top German finisher, securing third place. The tournament attracted 51,500 visitors throughout the week and featured three hole-in-ones. Additionally, a total of 99,000 Euros were raised for the “Eagles for Education” initiative.
Lawrence recorded scores of 71, 69, 66, and 69 to finish the tournament at 13 under par (275 shots). His victory marks his fourth title on the DP World Tour. Ilka Horstmeier, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, People and Real Estate, Labour Relations Director, commended Lawrence for his impressive performance under challenging conditions on the Championship Course. Horstmeier also praised the exciting tournament week, which included 59 eagles and three hole-in-ones, resulting in the donation of 99,000 Euros for “Eagles for Education”. This initiative aims to promote equal opportunities and educational equality.
The BMW Group pledged to donate 1,000 Euros for every eagle scored during the BMW International Open. The funds raised were distributed to the “JOBLINGE” and “Kick ins Leben” organizations, with whom BMW has a longstanding partnership. In recognition of outstanding sporting achievements, BMW also made a 10,000 Euro donation for each hole-in-one. The “Eagles for Education” fundraising began with a 10,000 Euro donation from BMW on behalf of prominent players during the practice round, including Gareth Bale, Thomas Müller, Haotong Li, and Yannik Paul.
Starting the final round four shots behind Joost Luiten, Lawrence experienced a rollercoaster of a day. He recorded six birdies in the first 13 holes but also had five bogies. However, Lawrence finished strongly with birdies on the 15th and 17th holes. In contrast, Luiten managed only one birdie and three bogies, leaving him trailing Lawrence by one shot heading into the 18th hole. Despite a long birdie putt that had the potential to force a play-off, Luiten narrowly missed, allowing Lawrence to claim victory.
Reflecting on his win, Lawrence acknowledged Luiten’s struggles and his own consistent performance on the last four holes. He expressed pride in maintaining his composure and revealed that Ernie Els, the only previous South African winner of the BMW International Open, had been his idol and a significant influence on his career. Lawrence also mentioned the support he received from Els’ junior foundation.
Adrian Meronk, Rikuya Hoshino, Daniel Hillier, and Max Kieffer finished tied in third place at 11 under par. Kieffer, as the top German player, expressed disappointment at not seizing the opportunity for victory but praised the spectacular finish on holes 16, 17, and 18. He expressed his love for the BMW International Open and vowed to return in the future for another attempt at victory.
The best-placed amateur in the tournament was Jonas Baumgartner from GC Hösel, who finished tied in 52nd place. Baumgartner described making the cut as an amateur as a fantastic experience and emphasized the valuable lessons he learned throughout the week.
Thirteen German players, including two amateurs, successfully made the cut at the 34th BMW International Open. Marcel Schneider, Max Schmitt, Matti Schmid, Thomas Rosenmüller, Hurly Long, Velten Meyer, Marc Hammer, Jannik de Bruyn, Philipp Mejow, Michael Hirmer, and Marcel Siem were among the German contingent. Notably, a record-breaking 21 German players participated in the tournament.
The final standings of the BMW International Open 2023 can be found in the PDF document titled “Final standings”.