Liberty National Golf Club to Host 2027 BMW Championship.

Olympia Fields, IL – August 15, 2023… The PGA TOUR, Western Golf Association (WGA) and BMW officials announced today that the 2027 BMW Championship will be played at Liberty National Golf Club in Jersey City, New Jersey. While official dates have not been announced, the event is scheduled to be held in August 2027.

“We’re excited to bring the PGA TOUR’s best players back to Liberty National for the BMW Championship,” said Vince Pellegrino, WGA Senior Vice President of Tournaments. “This course is no stranger to the thrill of the FedExCup Playoffs, and we know it will deliver an unmatched experience for the players and our fans.”

The 2027 event will mark the PGA TOUR’s return to Liberty National after hosting several world-class events, including The Presidents Cup in 2017 and THE NORTHERN TRUST in 2009, 2013, 2019 and 2021. Most recently, the club hosted the 2023 Mizuho Americas Open, its first LPGA Tour event.

One of several collaborations between U.S. Open Champion Tom Kite and renowned golf architect Bob Cupp who spent more than 15 years as the senior designer for Jack Nicklaus, Liberty National’s parkland links style layout was carefully crafted for championship golf while showcasing striking views of the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island and Manhattan skyline.

“It’s a tremendous honor for Liberty National Golf Club to host the 2027 BMW Championship and FedExCup Playoffs,” said Paul Fireman, former CEO of Reebok and co-founder of Liberty National Golf Club. “Welcoming the world’s top players and passionate fans to Liberty National with the iconic New York City skyline as the backdrop promises to be an incredible event. We’ve been fortunate to host a range of high-profile events on a consistent basis, and we’re thrilled to be adding the BMW Championship and future WGA competitions to our stellar lineup of tournaments.”

“The mission of Liberty National Golf Club is to create an impeccable golfing experience and to grow the sport for future generations, and we’re thrilled about this long-term commitment to host BMW and Western Golf Association tournaments,” said Dan Fireman, co-Founder and president, Liberty National Golf Club. “We take great pride in supporting youth golfers and caddies, and this multi-year partnership extends to working closely with BMW and the WGA to create life-changing opportunities through the donation of Evans Scholars Foundation scholarships.”

This will be the BMW Championship’s first visit to New Jersey and the New York metropolitan area and the event’s fifth stop on the East Coast since 2018. This week, Olympia Fields Country Club in Olympia Fields, Illinois, is hosting the 2023 BMW Championship. The event heads to Castle Pines Golf Club in Castle Rock, Colorado, in 2024, and returns to Caves Valley Golf Club in Owings Mills, Maryland, in 2025, and Bellerive Country Club in St. Louis, Missouri, in 2026.

“BMW of North America has been headquartered in New Jersey for nearly 50 years, so to host the BMW Championship at home, in front of so many of our customers, associates and dealers, will be a big thrill for everyone,” said Sebastian Mackensen, President and CEO, BMW of North America.  “We’re proud to continue our partnership with the Western Golf Association and Evans Scholars Foundation, which has positively impacted the lives of thousands of young students.”

In addition to having an economic impact on the area of more than $30 million, the 2027 BMW Championship is expected to play a vital philanthropic role by introducing more golfers and fans in the region to the Evans Scholars Foundation (ESF) and its mission of awarding full tuition and housing college scholarships to deserving youth caddies.

All proceeds from the BMW Championship benefit the ESF, and since 2007, the event has raised more than $45 million for Evans Scholarships. There are 1,130 Evans Scholars enrolled in 24 leading universities nationwide this year, including 10 students at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey.

“The BMW Championship at Liberty National Golf Club will give us an opportunity to show a new market the power of the Evans Scholars Program,” said WGA President and CEO John Kaczkowski. “This is an important step in our efforts as we continue to grow from coast to coast and reach more deserving young caddies.”

As part of an ongoing expansion plan, the Evans Scholars Program has grown rapidly in the East in recent years, establishing university partnerships with Rutgers University, the University of Maryland and Howard University. More than 40 Evans Scholars also reside at a Scholarship House at Penn State University. In 2022, the ESF established a long-term partnership with the New Jersey State Golf Association’s (NJSGA) Caddie Scholarship Foundation to promote and develop youth caddie opportunities at clubs in New Jersey and expand scholarship funding for caddies in the state.

“The NJSGA Caddie Scholarship Foundation is thrilled to partner with the ESF to further increase scholarship opportunities for New Jersey caddies,” said Michael McFadden, President of the NJSGA and former NJSGA Caddie Scholarship recipient and Rutgers graduate. “The long-term collaboration, including a partnership with Rutgers University, provides the opportunity to transform lives of more young men and woman in New Jersey.”

The BMW Championship features the top 50 PGA TOUR players vying to earn one of 30 spots in the season-ending TOUR Championship and the chance to be crowned FedExCup champion. Past BMW Championship winners include Patrick Cantlay, Jon Rahm, Justin Thomas, Keegan Bradley, Jason Day, Rory McIlroy, Zach Johnson, Justin Rose and Tiger Woods.

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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 Liberty National Golf Club

One of the world’s most iconic golf locales, Liberty National Golf Club is located along the Hudson River in Jersey City, New Jersey, with striking views of the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island and Manhattan skyline. Liberty National fittingly opened on July 4, 2006, and is guided by the vision and leadership of former Reebok Founder, Chairman & CEO Paul Fireman and his son Dan Fireman, managing partner of Fireman Capital Partners. Designed by U.S. Open Champion Tom Kite and esteemed golf course mastermind Bob Cupp, Liberty National is kept in tournament ready playing condition. Liberty National hosted The Presidents Cup in 2017 as well as multiple PGA TOUR FedExCup Playoff events. For more information about Liberty National Golf Club, visit libertynationalgc.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 24 universities across the nation as Evans Scholars. The Program, which is supported by the WGA, is funded by contributions from more than 36,000 Par Club members, including Evans Scholars Alumni, as well as proceeds from the BMW Championship. Since the Program’s inception in 1930, more than 12,040 caddies nationwide have graduated as Evans Scholars. To learn more, visit www.wgaesf.org.

About the NJSGA Caddie Scholarship Foundation

The NJSGA Caddie Scholarship Foundation has been a paramount piece of the NJSGA since 1947. As it enters its 76th year, the CSF provides financial assistance to deserving New Jersey caddies pursuing higher education. Since its inception, the CSF has provided more than $18 million in college scholarship awards to over 3,400 caddies. For the 2023-2024 academic year, the Foundation has provided 150 caddies with over $800,000 in scholarships. To learn more, visit www.njsga.org/caddie-scholarship.