The BMW Championship is a professional golf tournament which is the penultimate FedEx Cup playoff event on the PGA Tour schedule. Introduced in 2007, the BMW Championship was previously known as the Western Open. The Western Golf Association, which founded and ran the Western Open, runs the BMW Championship. In 2012, 2013, and 2014, the PGA Tour named the BMW Championship its Tournament of the Year. The BMW Championship is the longest running regular PGA Tour event on the calendar outside of the four major tournaments.
Western Open
The Western Open was first played in 1899. For many years, the Western was played in and out of the state of Illinois, before eventually settling down in the Chicago area. The Western Golf Association (WGA) ran the Western Open throughout its entire history (1899–2006), and continues to run the tournament under its new title. These are, however, two entirely different events in terms of playing format and invitational criteria. The Western Open was like any other regular PGA Tour stop – although it was once considered to be one of golf's majors. The BMW Championship is part of the FedEx Cup Playoffs, and only the leading FedEx Cup points earners at the start of the BMW event are eligible to play.
Tournament format
The BMW Championship is open to the leading FedEx Cup points earners on the PGA Tour following the FedEx St. Jude Championship. Through 2022, the top 70 players were qualified, after which it was reduced to the top 50. With a limited field, there is no 36-hole cut. The top 30 in the FedEx Cup points list following the BMW Championship advance to The Tour Championship, where the FedEx Cup champion is decided.
Winners
YearWinnerScoreTo parMargin ofvictoryRunner(s)-upPurse($)Winner'sshare ($)Venue 2026 Wyndham Clark 263 −17 3 strokes Patrick Cantlay 20,000,000 3,600,000 Bellerive 2025 Scottie Scheffler 265 −15 2 strokes Robert MacIntyre 20,000,000 3,600,000 Caves Valley 2024 Keegan Bradley (2) 276 −12 1 stroke Ludvig Åberg Sam Burns Adam Scott 20,000,000 3,600,000 Castle Pines 2023 Viktor Hovland 263 −17 2 strokes Matt Fitzpatrick Scottie Scheffler 20,000,000 3,600,000 Olympia Fields2022 Patrick Cantlay (2) 270 −14 1 stroke Scott Stallings 15,000,000 2,700,000 Wilmington2021 Patrick Cantlay 261 −27 Playoff Bryson DeChambeau 9,500,000 1,710,000 Caves Valley2020 Jon Rahm 276 −4 Playoff Dustin Johnson 9,500,000 1,710,000 Olympia Fields2019 Justin Thomas 263 −25 3 strokes Patrick Cantlay 9,250,000 1,665,000 Medinah2018 Keegan Bradley 260 −20 Playoff Justin Rose 9,000,000 1,620,000 Aronimink2017 Marc Leishman 261 −23 5 strokes Rickie Fowler Justin Rose 8,750,000 1,575,000 Conway Farms2016 Dustin Johnson (2) 265 −23 3 strokes Paul Casey 8,500,000 1,530,000 Crooked Stick2015 Jason Day 262 −22 6 strokes Daniel Berger 8,250,000 1,485,000 Conway Farms2014 Billy Horschel 266 −14 2 strokes Bubba Watson 8,000,000 1,440,000 Cherry Hills2013 Zach Johnson 268 −16 2 strokes Nick Watney 8,000,000 1,440,000 Conway Farms2012 Rory McIlroy 268 −20 2 strokes Phil Mickelson Lee Westwood 8,000,000 1,440,000 Crooked Stick2011 Justin Rose 271 −13 2 strokes John Senden 8,000,000 1,440,000 Cog Hill2010 Dustin Johnson 275 −9 1 stroke Paul Casey 7,500,000 1,350,000 Cog Hill2009 Tiger Woods (5) 265 −19 8 strokes Jim Furyk Marc Leishman 7,500,000 1,350,000 Cog Hill2008 Camilo Villegas 265 −15 2 strokes Dudley Hart 7,000,000 1,260,000 Bellerive2007 Tiger Woods (4) 262 −22 2 strokes Aaron Baddeley 7,000,000 1,260,000 Cog Hill
Host venues Four of the first five editions of the BMW Championship were held at Cog Hill Golf & Country Club, which had hosted the Western Open since 1991. Since 2011, no course has hosted in consecutive years, with the tournament moving throughout the Midwest and sometimes venturing into Colorado as well as the Mid-Atlantic region. The Chicago metropolitan area remains the most frequent location, having hosted the event ten times at four different courses.
Venue Location First Last Times Cog Hill Golf & Country Club Lemont, Illinois 2007 2011 4 Conway Farms Golf Club Lake Forest, Illinois 2013 2017 3 Crooked Stick Golf Club Carmel, Indiana 2012 2016 2 Olympia Fields Country Club (North Course) Olympia Fields, Illinois 2020 2023 2 Caves Valley Golf Club Owings Mills, Maryland 2021 2025 2 Bellerive Country Club Town and Country, Missouri 2008 2026 2 Cherry Hills Country Club Cherry Hills Village, Colorado 2014 1 Aronimink Golf Club Newtown Square, Pennsylvania 2018 1 Medinah Country Club (Course 3) Medinah, Illinois 2019 1 Wilmington Country Club Wilmington, Delaware 2022 1 Castle Pines Golf Club Castle Rock, Colorado 2024 1
Future sites Year Course Location2027 Liberty National Golf Club Jersey City, New Jersey Source:
References
External links
Coverage on the PGA Tour's official site Official site of the Western Golf Association