MONTRÉAL, QUÉBEC–(Marketwire – May 17, 2012) – BOWMORE Exploration Ltd. (TSX VENTURE:BOW) (FRANKFURT:0B5) (“Bowmore”) would like to inform its shareholders that the drill campaign at the “Chivas property” is well underway and that three holes have now been completed. The initial drill program experienced some delays due to technical difficulties encountered by the previous drilling contractor. Therefore a second drill company “Major Drilling Group International Inc.” was contracted to complete the campaign. Samples of the first holes have been sent to ALS Chemex lab in Hermosillo, Mexico and results should be available in the following weeks.

The Chivas Property is composed of 2 claims covering over 24,841 hectares and is located within the Sierra Madre Occidental gold belt (“SMO”). The SMO is host to reserves of more than 40 Million ounces of gold and 2 Billion ounces of silver. The property is optioned and operated by Amex Exploration Ltd (AMX: TSX-V, “Amex”). The property is 15 kilometres to the west of the Dolores Mine previously owned by Minfinders Corporation Ltd. and now Pan American Silver Corp. The earn-in option provides Bowmore the right to acquire up to 70% interest in the property (see news release dated April 8, 2010).

As announced previously (see Bowmore news release dated February 22, 2012), this first phase diamond drilling consists of 6 to 8 holes for approximately 2500 meters targeting various objectives that are:

• Test the IP geophysical anomalies on the Silica Cap zone, (see Bowmore news release dated November 22, 2011). These IP anomalies identified moderate to strong chargeability values over large volume of rock extending SSE-NNW over these zones and;
  
• Test the areas of the Mesa Blanca zone where high resistivity anomalies at the sub-surface were found, indicating the presence of anomalous silica content associated with disseminated sulphide. It also corresponds to previous surface sampling and identification of high silicification and a large area with presence of anomalous buddingtonite from the TerraSpec sampling program done in early 2011.
  
• To follow up on the previously drilled Piedra Rodante gold-silver zone and to test possible extensions of the mineralization to the south and at depth, where historical values returned up to 1.26 g/t Au and 182 g/t Ag over 15 meters.(See Amex Exploration Jacques Marchand (QP) NI 43-101 report March 1, 2010.)

These significant targets have been defined by previous exploration work in 2010 and 2011 that lead to the identified of a large low sulphidation epithermal system that covers an area of approximately 5.2 km² (see Bowmore news release October 26, 2010, news release July 14, 2011 and news release November 22, 2011).

Bowmore and Amex management team are very enthusiastic to see the results of this first drill campaign on the property located in the prolific Sierra Madre gold belt.

Jean Marie Pronovost P.Geo., is the Qualified Person who has reviewed this news release and is responsible for the technical information reported herein.

BOWMORE is a Canadian exploration mining company focused on precious metal exploration in Canada and Mexico. For further information on BOWMORE, visit www.bowmorexploration.com.

Forward-looking statements:

Except for statements of historical facts, all statements in this news release regarding, without limitation, new project acquisitions, future plans and objectives are forward-looking statements which involve risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate; Actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements.