Filming Golf at the BMW Invitational, Munich
to the expansive greens of Golfclub München Eichenried for the BMW International Open. This prestigious tournament, part of the DP World Tour, covers 18 holes of precision, drama, and Bavarian atmosphere. The tournament, which ran from July 2nd to 6th, 2025, proved to be an emotional masterclass in storytelling.
My job here wasn’t on the main broadcast towers, but capturing the non-live content; the post round interviews, the player profiles and the behind-the-scenes magic that makes the event a compelling story, not just a leaderboard. This week, the story was deeply personal.
Capturing the Unscripted: Dan Brown’s Emotional Triumph
The biggest takeaway from the BMW International Open wasn't a world record, but a profound, unscripted human moment. English golfer Daniel Brown secured his second DP World Tour title with a stunning, bogey-free final round. What made this victory unforgettable was the raw emotion he displayed on the 18th green.
Just days before the tournament, Brown lost a close friend. He revealed in the aftermath that he had been battling the grief all week, dedicating his play to his friend, calling the whole experience an "out-of-body experience."
This is where cameras earn their keep. While the live broadcast focused on the final putt and the scorecard, our non-live team was perfectly positioned to capture the immediate, heartbreaking release of emotion:
The Embrace: We filmed the tight hug with his caddie and the subsequent embrace with his playing partner, Jordan Smith, immediately after the winning putt dropped (not to mention the champagne being sprayed over them by their friends).
The Tears: We held the long lens steady on his face, capturing the moment he broke down in tears, speaking the words "It's for him." This footage is the heart of the championship highlight reel, proving that the greatest moments in sport are often driven by deeply personal motivation, not just professional aspiration.
Filming this required anticipating the inevitable, overwhelming reaction from the winner, and being ready to capture that contrast between the professional golfer and the grieving man.
Lessons from the Line: The Tiny Gestures on the Green
The emotional final hole only reinforced the general lessons we learned about filming a high-stakes but often slow, game. Our job is to isolate those micro-moments of tension and release.
The Green Reading: Filming the subtle shift in an athlete's eyes as they read the line of a putt, or the single blade of grass they point out to their caddy. These extreme close-ups communicate the immense mental processing required before a critical stroke, which was magnified for Brown this week.
The Follow-Through: We use long-lens shots (often 300mm+) from fixed positions to capture the perfect, slow-motion follow-through of the swing, which in Brown's case, showed incredible focus despite the emotional turmoil.
Logistics and the Bavarian Vibe
Despite the high drama of the final round, a major part of our brief was still showcasing the event's atmosphere. The crowds in Munich were fantastic, especially during the Pro-Am on Wednesday, where we filmed celebrity golfers like Gareth Bale interacting with the pros. This week, we seamlessly wove together the stunning aesthetics of the BMW International Open—the beautiful course, the brand activations, and the huge fan presence, with the incredible personal story of Daniel Brown.
The juxtaposition of the powerful, professional sponsorship imagery with Brown’s vulnerable, heartfelt dedication is what will make the content from Munich this year so memorable. We captured the sport but more importantly, we captured the athlete.
