English golfer Daniel Brown delivered a heartfelt triumph at the 2025 BMW International Open, securing his second DP World Tour title with a two-shot victory over compatriot Jordan Smith on Sunday at Golfclub München Eichenried.
The 30-year-old, ranked No. 170 in the world, carded a bogey-free 6-under 66 in the final round to finish at 22-under par, dedicating the win to a close friend who passed away the previous weekend.
Brown, who held a one-shot lead over Smith entering the final day, started strong with four birdies in his first six holes, setting the tone for a commanding performance. Despite Smith briefly tying him at the turn with five birdies in eight holes, Brown regained control with a birdie on the par-3 12th and capitalized on Smith’s back-to-back bogeys on holes 13 and 14. He sealed the victory with a birdie on the par-5 18th, reaching the green in two and two-putting, before breaking down in tears.
“I lost a friend at home last weekend,” Brown said, visibly emotional. “It’s for him. The last two days, I kept thinking about him. It was like an out-of-body experience.”
The win, Brown’s first since the 2023 ISPS Handa World Invitational, earned him €396,713.02 and vaulted him into contention for a spot in the upcoming Open Championship at Royal Portrush, where he has prior experience from the 2014 British Amateur.
“I played there a few times as an amateur,” Brown noted, signaling his potential as a dark horse for the Claret Jug.
Smith, who shot a 5-under 67, finished solo second at 20-under, marking his second consecutive runner-up finish at the event. New Zealand’s Kazuma Kobori claimed third at 18-under with a scintillating final-round 62, while Joost Luiten, Davis Bryant, and Kristoffer Reitan tied for sixth at 16-under. Germany’s Matti Schmid was the top home player, finishing T7 at 15-under.
The DP World Tour now shifts to the Genesis Scottish Open, co-sanctioned with the PGA Tour, as Brown and others vie for form ahead of the season’s final major.
