The BMW Championship Returns to the Chicago Area with the Top 50 Players on the PGA TOUR Set to Compete at Olympia Fields Country Club.

• BMW Championship week begins on Wednesday, August 16^th with the Gardner Heidrick Pro-Am, featuring World Series Champion and Cy Young Winner CC Sabathia, former NFL Pro Bowler and fashion icon Victor Cruz, and former Chicago Bull and ESPN media personality Jay Williams.

• The BMW Championship has raised more than $45 million in support of the Evans Scholars Foundation since 2007, sending more than 3,300 students to college.

• “Destination Recharge,” a designated vehicle display area, will showcase BMW’s growing line-up of fully electric vehicles including the BMW i4 Gran Coupe, BMW iX Sports Activity Vehicle, the flagship BMW i7 Sedan, and offer a preview of the first-ever BMW i5 Sedan which will arrive in showrooms later this year.

Woodcliff Lake, NJ – August 14, 2023… The 2023 BMW Championship returns to the Chicago area this week as the top 50 players on the PGA TOUR compete in the penultimate event of the FedExCup Playoffs at Olympia Fields Country Club in Olympia Fields, Illinois. Two-time defending champion Patrick Cantlay will compete to become the event’s first-ever three-time winner since BMW became the title partner in 2007.

Cantlay will be joined in the field by a star-studded line-up of today’s best players including former BMW Championship winners Jon Rahm and Rory McIlroy, along with fellow major champions Scottie Scheffler, Jordan Spieth, and Wyndham Clark.

Gardner Heidrick Pro-Am.

The week’s activities begin with the annual BMW Championship Gardner Heidrick Pro-Am on Wednesday, August 16^th which is the largest annual fundraiser for the Evans Scholars Foundation. This year’s event will feature several celebrity guests including World Series champion and Cy Young winner CC Sabathia, former NFL Pro Bowl receiver and fashion icon Victor Cruz, and the No. 2 overall pick of the Chicago Bulls in the 2002 NBA Draft and ESPN media personality Jay Williams. Evans Scholars and Alumni will caddie for the groups, donating their tips back to the Program.

Evans Scholars Foundation.

All proceeds from the 2023 BMW Championship benefit the Evans Scholars Foundation, a charity which funds full college tuition and housing scholarships for deserving caddies across the country. Since 2007, the BMW Championshp has raised more than $45 million in support of the Evans Scholars Foundation, helping more than 3,300 students achieve their dreams of attending college. Currently, a record 1,130 caddies are enrolled in 24 universities across the nation as Evans Scholars.

Hole-In-One Scholarship.

Once again, BMW will contribute a four-year Evans Scholarship, covering full college tuition and housing, in the name of the first PGA TOUR player to record a hole-in-one on any hole during tournament play. BMW has awarded six such Hole-In-One Scholarships, with the most recent coming after Viktor Hovland’s ace in the final round of the 2022 tournament. The recipient of that scholarship, Diana Llamas, will begin college this fall as an Evans Scholar at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Hovland and Llamas will have the opportunity to meet for the first time following his round on Saturday afternoon.

Hole-In-One Vehicle.

BMW will also continue its tradition of awarding a new car to the first player to hit a hole-in-one on a designated hole during tournament play, but this year there’s a bonus. The first player to ace the 16^th hole will win two all-new, fully electric BMW i5 Sedans – one for himself, and one for his caddie. Since all proceeds from the BMW Championship benefit deserving young caddies through the Evans Scholars Foundation, it’s only fitting that when a player wins a new car, so does his caddie.

Guest Experiences at Olympia Fields Country Club.

In addition to the competition, fans attending the BMW Championship will have access to a variety of interactive activities including:
BMW Owners’ Pavilion.

A BMW vehicle key or virtual key in the BMW app will unlock exclusive hospitality benefits at the BMW Championship, beginning with premium parking options upon arrival to Olympia Fields Country Club. BMW Owners and a guest will also receive access to the BMW Owners’ Pavilion with unparalled views of holes 13,15, and 16.

• The BMW Experience.

All attendees will be able to join BMW for a variety of activities in between the action on the golf course. Located behind the Olympia Fields Clubhouse, the BMW Experience will feature a driving range and putting challenge for fans, along with merchandise for purchase and local food truck offerings. A collection of BMW’s latest products, including the plug-in hybrid-electric BMW XM Sports Activity Vehicle and flagship BMW 7 Series Sedan will be on display.

• Electric Vehicle Showcase: “Destination Recharge”.

Located between the 10^th and 18^th holes, BMW’s Destination Recharge will offer guests an up-close look at the brand’s growing line-up of fully electric models including the BMW iX Sports Activity Vehicle, range-topping BMW i7 Sedan, and first-ever BMW i5 Sedan, which will arrive in dealerships later this year. BMW product experts will be on hand to speak about the fleet of Ultimate Electric Driving Machines and answer questions. The BMW Championship “Electric Moments” long putt challenge, where fans can attempt to recreate Jon Rahm’s stunning 66-footer for birdie during the first playoff hole of the 2020 BMW Championship, will round out the Destination Recharge experience.

• Enhanced Digital Access.

Guests will be able to download the BMW Championship Ultimate Experience Pass to check-in at a variety of activities while visiting Olympia Fields Country Club. The new and improved system will allow for a more streamlined registration process and reduced wait times. The platform can be easily accessed by scanning the QR code on event signage.

For updates during the 2023 BMW Championship, follow the conversation with:

• Facebook: facebook.com/BMWChampionship
• Twitter: @BMWchamps, @PGATOUR, @WGAESF
• Instagram: @BMWChamps, @PGATOUR, @BMWUSA
• Hashtags: #BMWChamps #BMWGolf #PGATOUR #FedExCup, #LiveUnderPar

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About the BMW Championship

The BMW Championship dates back to 1899 when it debuted as the Western Open, making it the third-oldest tournament on the PGA TOUR schedule, behind only the British Open and U.S. Open. BMW has sponsored the tournament since 2007 when it became the penultimate event of the PGA TOUR’s FedExCup Playoffs. The BMW Championship features a field of the top 50 players in the FedExCup standings to determine the final 30 players for the FedExCup final at the TOUR Championship in Atlanta. Since 2007, the BMW Championship has contributed more than $45 million to the Evans Scholars Foundation, the event’s charitable beneficiary. To learn more, visit bmwchampionship.com.

About the Western Golf Association

The Western Golf Association conducts six national golf championships and sponsors the nationally acclaimed Evans Scholars Foundation. Headquartered in Glenview, Illinois, the organization was founded in 1899 by 11 Chicago-area golf clubs to promote their interests in golf. In addition to the BMW Championship on the PGA TOUR and the NV5 Invitational presented by Old National Bank on the Korn Ferry Tour, the WGA conducts four prestigious amateur championships: the Western Amateur, the Western Junior, and the Women’s Western Golf Association’s Amateur and Junior championships.

About the Evans Scholars Foundation

Established by the WGA and famed amateur golfer Charles Chick Evans Jr., the Evans Scholars Foundation provides full housing and tuition scholarships to high-achieving caddies across the country. Currently, a record 1,130 caddies are enrolled in 22 universities across the nation as Evans Scholars. The Program, which is supported by the WGA, is funded by contributions from more than 33,500 Par Club members, including Evans Scholars Alumni, as well as proceeds from the BMW Championship. Since the Program’s inception in 1930, more than 11,800 caddies nationwide have graduated as Evans Scholars. To learn more, visit wgaesf.org.