2023 BMW CHAMPIONSHIP.

Viktor Hovland triumphs.

2023 BMW CHAMPIONSHIP.Viktor Hovland triumphs.

As the penultimate tournament on the PGA TOUR calendar, the BMW Championship has long been a special event for the players and features one of the world’s best fields. Only the top 50 in the FedExCup overall rankings qualify for the playoff event. Title partner BMW has been lending its name to the tournament since 2007. Viktor Hovland produced one of the best performances of all time on the final round of a PGA TOUR event to win the BMW Championship 2023. The Norwegian carded seven birdies on the back nine on his way to a course record of 61 strokes (9 under par).

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"VIKTORY."

Hovland’s 61 was the lowest score in the history of the Playoffs and good enough to reel in the leaders after three rounds, Scottie Scheffler (USA) and Matt Fitzpatrick (ENG). It was a second BMW title for the 25-year-old, to add to his win at the BMW International Open 2021 in Munich (GER).

Hovland had started the final round three shots behind Scheffler and Fitzpatrick, and it seemed likely to remain a battle between the two Major winners for some time. However, the Norwegian then put on a memorable performance as every shot hit its mark. With the exception of the two par 3 holes, he birdied everything on the difficult back nine of the North Course. Scheffler and Fitzpatrick were unable to counter this brilliant display, sharing second place ahead of Rory McIlroy (NIR, -12), with Open champion Brian Harman and Max Homa (both USA, -11) tied for fifth.

WORLD CLASS.

Only the 50 best players of the season qualify for the BMW Championship. It is hard to imagine a tougher top-level golf competition. Almost all the top 20 players in the world rankings were competing at the BMW Championship 2023. Jon Rahm (ESP), the reigning Masters champion and winner of the only BMW Championship held at the Olympia Fields Country Club (2020) to date, world number one Scottie Scheffler (USA), world number three Rory McIlroy (NIR), and reigning Major winners Wyndham Clark (USA, U.S. Open) and Brian Harman (USA, The Open) were just some of the world class pros appearing in Chicago.

CHARITY.

The Evans Scholars Foundation.

All proceeds from the BMW Championship benefit the Evans Scholars Foundation (ESF) and its mission of awarding full tuition and housing college scholarships to caddies. Since the tournament’s inception in 2007, the BMW Championship has raised over 45 million US dollars for the foundation (not including the BMW Championship 2023), helping 3,300 young people realise their lifelong dreams.

The ESF was founded in 1930 by the Western Golf Association and legendary amateur golfer Charles "Chick" Evans Jr. The ESF will be helping a record-breaking number of 1,300 caddies to finance their studies in the current academic year. There are currently around 12,400 former Evans Scholars in the USA. Forty percent of all Evans Scholars are first-generation college students.

HOLE-IN-ONE AWARD.

The Hole-in-One Car at the BMW Championship 2023 was a very special model: the BMW i5, the first-ever fully-electric BMW 5 Series. The eighth generation of the BMW 5 Series will herald a new era in autumn 2023, more dynamic and comfortable than ever, with a fresh interpretation of its signature elegantly sporty design.

It is a shame that no pro managed to claim this year’s BMW Hole-in-One Award by acing the 16th hole, as this would have heralded an event unprecedented in history of BMW Golfsport spanning mor the three decades: for the very first time, two cars would have been handed over – one for the player and one for his caddie. At a tournament dedicated to supporting young caddies, it is only fitting that both player and caddie would have won the first-ever fully-electric BMW 5 Series.

FROM THE WINDY CITY TO THE ROCKIES.

The BMW Championship 2024 marks the PGA TOUR’s return to Castle Pines Golf Club, south of Denver, which hosted "The International" tournament from 1986 until 2006. It will be the BMW Championship’s first visit to Colorado since 2014, when Billy Horschel (USA) won at Cherry Hills Country Club (Denver) en route to capturing the FedExCup title. The highly acclaimed Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course at Castle Pines opened in 1981, capitalizing on iconic Colorado scenery with holes carved through natural rock features and majestic Ponderosa pines. Now playing over 8,000 yards (7,300 metres) with a par of 72, the undulating layout features narrow fairways and elevated, multi-tiered greens.

In 2025, the tournament will repeat its 2021 visit to the Caves Valley Golf Club (Baltimore), while the 2026 schedule features the Bellerive Country Club (St. Louis) as host for the first time since 2008. In 2027, the BMW Championship will celebrate its debut at the Liberty National Golf Club and the New York region.

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