+++ 2024 BMW PGA Championship marks a significant milestone, as BMW celebrates 20 years as title partner +++ Revisiting tournament and automotive highlights since 2005 +++ Many charities supported by the tournament, with over £150,000 raised for current partner, the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) since 2022 +++ Golf remains a central pillar in the sports engagement of the BMW Group +++
Munich/London. The 2024 BMW PGA Championship (19 – 22 September, Wentworth Club, Surrey, England) marks a significant milestone, as BMW celebrates its 20th year as title partner of the DP World Tour’s flagship event. To commemorate this highly successful partnership, we explore some of the highlight moments that have helped to define the last two decades.
The championship dates back to 1955, when it was originally known as the British PGA Championship, before coming under BMW stewardship in 2005. Since then, the tournament has gone from strength to strength, evolving into a ‘Festival of Golf’ with its star-studded Pro-Am line ups, Championship Village and live concerts from world-renowned artists. The 20th BMW PGA Championship closely follows the 35th BMW International Open, and further cements the brand’s commitment to international golf.
Aside from a formidable list of champions, the tournament’s most prominent legacy is arguably its deeply rooted connection to charity, supporting many deserving causes over its 20-year history. Its most recent beneficiary is the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM), who strive to change the conversation around mental health and suicide. Since 2022, more than £150,000 has been raised for CALM, who will remain as official charity partner for a third consecutive year.
Ahead of the 20th BMW PGA Championship – which is expected to be the most widely attended tournament to date, with Saturday and Sunday tickets already sold out – we explore tournament and automotive highlights from two decades of play.
2006: Two champions are crowned.
Teeing off in 2006, the second BMW PGA Championship sees David Howell cruise to victory by five shots, becoming the first homegrown winner since Nick Faldo in 1989. Meanwhile, BMW 3 Series is crowned ‘Car of the Year’ at the prestigious 2006 What Car? Car of the Year Awards. Arriving as the fifth incarnation, the 3 Series was praised by What Car? for its blend of typically ‘sharp’ driving dynamics, outstanding refinement and everyday practicality.
2008: Standing out from the crowd.
Golf icon Miguel Ángel Jiménez showcases a stand-out performance, acing the fifth, before beating Oliver Wilson on the second extra hole to take the title. Born to stand out too, the BMW X6 launches as the world’s first ever Sports Activity Coupé, combining the attributes of an SUV with the stance of a coupé for the first time.
2010: Redesigned and reimagined.
Nicknamed ‘The Big Easy’, South African golfing legend, Ernie Els oversees the redesign of the West Course, including a major revamp of the 18th hole. Concurrently, a BMW legend is reimagined, as the BMW 5 Series Touring enters its fourth generation, bringing an eight-speed automatic transmission, Auto Start-Stop technology and up to an exceptional 1,670 litres of luggage capacity.
2011 & 2012: Doing the double.
With an astonishing performance, England’s Luke Donald beats fellow countryman Lee Westwood at the 2011 championship and takes the top spot as world number one for the first time in his career. Donald went on to defend his title in 2012, becoming only the third player to do so since Colin Montgomerie and Sir Nick Faldo. Also doing the double with more power and less fuel consumption, the fifth generation BMW M5 is launched, boasting 560 hp – up 10 per cent on its predecessor model – while cutting fuel consumption by more than 30 per cent.
2013: Fresh talent.
Italy’s Matteo Manassero becomes the tournament’s youngest-ever winner, taking home the trophy at just 20 years of age. Simultaneously, the BMW i3 makes its debut as the first series-produced model by BMW i, offering a fresh all-electric powertrain and groundbreaking new technology. Like Manassero, the trailblazer went on to create a legacy of its own, with over 250,000 units delivered to customers worldwide.
2014: Global stars.
Rory McIlroy secures the win after a dramatic final round, overturning a seven-shot overnight deficit to score a 66 on the final day and clinch a thrilling victory. Heralded as his first win on British soil, it kick started a memorable year for the world number one, in which he also won The Open and US PGA Championship. Also launched in 2014, BMW’s first plug-in hybrid sports car, the BMW i8 becomes a star of its own. Honoured as Top Gear Magazine’s ‘Global Car of the Year’ the innovative powerhouse went on to secure almost as many titles as the Northern Irish legend.
2015: Records are made to be broken.
Finishing with a record-breaking 21-under-par, South Korean, Byeong-Hun An – a European Tour rookie – claims victory. A remarkable five aces are recorded throughout this tournament, making it a memorable event for such a rare achievement. Offering both record-breaking lap times and remarkable performance, the special edition BMW M4 GTS is unveiled as the fastest series-production BMW road car ever offered to customers. With a boosted output of 500hp, the GTS shaved 30 seconds off the standard BMW M4’s Nürburging Nordschleife lap time.
2019: Big moves.
Marking one of the tournament’s most memorable moments, Ross Fisher makes a sensational albatross on the 18th hole by sinking a 218-yard second shot with a 4-iron and wins a BMW i8 for the first albatross of the tournament that week. BMW made some big moves too in 2019, launching its largest production car to date, the BMW X7. Combining a spacious, opulent interior, powerful engine derivatives and advanced technology, the luxury SUV strikes the perfect balance between comfort and performance.
2021: Going full circle.
Bringing it back for the USA, Billy Horschel becomes the first American victor since the great Arnold Palmer in 1975. Bringing back and repurposing an array of materials, the BMW i Vision Circular is unveiled to the world at the IAA Motor Show in Munich. Envisioned for the year 2040, the Vision Circular is BMW’s take on circular economy, fusing sustainability with luxury in a design that uses 100 per cent recyclable materials.
2023: Powered with sustainability in mind.
In a world first for a sporting event, the television production for the 2023 BMW PGA Championship is powered 100 per cent by green hydrogen. TV wasn’t the only thing powered by hydrogen last year, with the arrival of the BMW iX5 Hydrogen pilot fleet. The 100-strong fleet was deployed internationally for demonstration and trial purposes. BMW plans to launch its first-ever series production fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) in 2028, thereby offering customers an additional all-electric powertrain option with zero local emissions in a BMW.
2024: The 20th BMW PGA Championship and the third BMW M5 Touring.
The 20th BMW PGA Championship is just around the corner and there’s a lot to look forward to. Expect fierce competition, another star-studded Pro-Am and a Championship Village filled with BMW’s latest and greatest models, including the all-new third generation BMW M5 Touring, which makes its UK premiere at Wentworth.