The event in which Rory McIlroy grabbed the biggest first prize in golf last October, the Shanghai Masters, has joined the European Tour.
Rory McIlroy after his victory in Shanghai last year.
Lake Malaren in Shanghai will once again play host to the now-retitled BMW Masters on October 25-28, with 78 players competing for £4.3million prize money, but this time around the event will form part of the European Tour schedule.
"I am already looking forward to teeing off," said McIlroy, who beat American Anthony Kim in a play-off last season to claim the £1.24million first prize.
"Thanks to the involvement of BMW (it was previously known as the Shanghai Masters) the tournament will now be one of the very best events in the world.
"That obviously makes it all the more exciting to defend my title there."
Open champion Darren Clarke helped to launch the event during the Beijing Auto Show in the Chinese capital on Monday, teeing off from the BMW exhibition stand using an exploding golden ball.
European Tour chief executive George O'Grady said: "We are proud of many partnerships we enjoy across the world of golf, but one of the most enduring is with BMW.
"This tournament represents the third title sponsorship on the tour in 2012 and the 45th in total over the past 23 years.
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