BMW International Open 2026 preview, picks & analysis

Marco Penge returns to competitive action at the BMW International Open. The Englishman claimed one of the coveted PGA Tour cards at the end of 2025 and would be the first to admit that he has struggled with the demands of the PGA Tour.

He is not the first to do so. Robert MacIntyre admitted that he battled with life in America during his debut year. That all changed when he won the 2024 Canadian Open and then followed it up with another success at the Scottish Open. 

Penge decided that he needed to take a break due to persistant health issues and sat out the US Open. Everybody will be hoping that a return to Europe helps Penge to get back to track. He is a wonderful ball striker and has already won over the American fans with his big-hitting and attacking style of play. After only narrowly keeping his DP World Tour card in 2024, he went on to win three times last year and finished second in the Race to Dubai.

Also in the field this week is Joaquin Niemann, who will be making his debut at the tournament. Niemann made headlines at the US Open for all the wrong reasons, picking up a two-shot penalty for throwing a club on his way to a 78 in the opening round. But it is to his credit that he battled back to make the cut after a 65 and eventually finished in a tie for seventh place.

The former world number one amateur golfer, who has represented Chile at the 2020 and 2024 Olympic Games, also finished in a tie for 18th place at the US PGA Championship.

I am a big fan of Niemann, despite his allegiance to LIV Golf. 

(Image Credit: Pedro Salado/LIV Golf)

He was born in Santiago on November 7, 1998 and was the world’s number one ranked golfer for 44 weeks, from May 2017 to April 2018, when he turned professional. He won the 2018 Latin America Amateur Championship, gaining him a place in the field for The Masters the same year.

He turned professional before the 2018 Texas Open, where he finished sixth in his pro debut. He earned Special Temporary Member Status on the PGA Tour for the rest of 2018 with a T6 finish at the Memorial, his third top-ten in only five starts. He earned a PGA Tour card for 2018-19 after a fourth top-10 finish in eight tournaments.

In September 2019, Niemann won The Greenbrier for his first PGA Tour victory. He became the first PGA Tour winner from Chile, and the youngest international PGA Tour winner since 1923.

In December 2019, he played on the International team at the Presidents Cup but was on the losing side as the USA won 16-14.

In January 2021, Niemann shot a final round 64 at the Tournament of Champions but lost in a playoff to Harris English. The following week he finished tied second at the Sony Open. He also lost in a playoff at the Rocket Mortgage.

In February 2022, Niemann won the Genesis Invitational and in August announced that he was joining LIV Golf. In December 2023, Niemann won the Australian Open. 

He finished tied fourth at the 2024 Dubai Desert Classic and on Friday, February 2 he shot the second sub-60 score on the LIV Golf tour - Bryson DeChambeau shot a 58 in 2023.

He has enjoyed huge success with LIV Golf. He won twice in 2024, five times in 2025 and has already won in Korea this year. 

There will also be a strong German presence this week, with two-time major winner Martin Kaymer set to join Matti Schmid on home soil.

Kaymer, who holds the distinction of being both the youngest winner and the only German champion of this event, was 23 years and 177 days old when he claimed the title in Munich in 2008. 

Schmid, currently the highest-ranked German player in the world rankings, finished seventh in 2025 as the best placed German in the field and is excited to return.

"The atmosphere was incredible throughout the week. I hope that everyone will be coming back because it’s great when we have a full house here."

Defending champion Daniel Brown, of England, will be looking to create a piece of history. In the 37-year history of Germany’s most prestigious golf tournament, no player has ever successfully defended the title.

Brown will face tough competition in his quest for history, as several other players who have already won in Munich will also be teeing off: Ewen Ferguson, Pablo Larrazabal, Kaymer, and Thriston Lawrence are all eyeing another title as well.

Following only three dropped shots throughout the entire tournament, Brown deservedly secured the title last year. Only four winners have posted a better result than his total score of 22 under par in the long history of the tournament.

Ferguson claimed his triumph in Munich in 2024, and Lawrence was crowned champion in 2023, meaning that the titleholders from the past three years will be in action.

Danny Willett made his breakthrough at the 2012 BMW International Open, when, at the age of 24, he celebrated his first victory on the DP World Tour. Four years later, the Englishman achieved his greatest triumph at the Masters, followed by an emotional win at his prestigious home tournament, the 2019 BMW PGA Championship in England. Willett will be the third Green Jacket holder to tee off in Munich this year, alongside Sergio Garcia and Patrick Reed.

Tournament Winners:

It was won in 2015 by Pablo Larrazabal, in 2016 by Henrik Stenson, in 2017 by Andres Romero, in 2018 by Matt Wallace, in in 2019 by Andrea Pavan, in 2021 by Viktor Hovland, in 2022 by Li Haotong, in 2023 by Thriston Lawrence, in 2024 Ewen Ferguson and last year by Dan Brown. There was no tournament in 2020 because of the pandemic.

The Course:

Golfclub Munchen Eichenried is a par 72 that measures 7,284 yards. It was designed by Kurt Robknecht and opened in 1989. It is a parkland course that features many streams and ponds, two half-island greens and 90 bunkers.

Form Guide:

Joaquin Niemann is a serial winner on the LIV Golf tour and played some wonderful golf at the US Open.

How to Watch:

Thursday, July 2, Friday, July 3, Sky Sports Golf, 11.30am; Saturday, July 4, Sunday, July 5, Sky Sports Golf, midday.

Prize Money:

Total prize money is $2.75m, with 3,500 Race to Dubai points for the winner.

To Win:

Joaquin Niemann. World class

Each Way:

Marcel Siem. Experienced German remains a potential contender

Each Way:  

Marco Penge. Looking to get season back on track

Five to Follow:

Joaquin Niemann. Has no weaknesses

Marcel Siem. Loves playing on home soil

Marco Penge. Hugely entertaining

Patrick Reed. Having a ball

Thriston Lawrence. Former winner

Five Outsiders to Watch:

Martin Kaymer. Remember him?

Ross Fisher. Still a tremendous ball striker

Ryan Palmer. Veteran American

Zander Lombard. Looking for an upturn 

Eddie Pepperell. Has shown some flashes of form