Strong support from Chicagoland golf fans, a hole-in-one by Jason Day and a special donation honoring one of the most beloved caddies in the game’s history helped the 2017 BMW Championship raise $2.6 million for the event’s sole charity, the Evans Scholars Foundation.
Conducted by the Western Golf Association, the 2017 BMW Championship attracted more than 115,000 spectators to Conway Farms Golf Club in Lake Forest, Illinois, from September 12-17 to see the PGA TOUR’s best compete in the penultimate event of the FedExCup Playoffs. All proceeds from the BMW Championship help support the Evans Scholars Foundation’s mission of sending deserving caddies to college. Since 2007, the BMW Championship has raised $27 million for the Evans Scholars Foundation.
This year’s contribution from the BMW Championship to the Evans Scholars Foundation included the donation of another BMW Hole-In-One Scholarship, a full, four-year Evans Scholarship worth $100,000. The scholarship was awarded on behalf of 2015 BMW Championship winner Jason Day, who aced No. 17 with a 7-iron, from 188 yards during the second round of the 2017 BMW Championship. It was fifth time that BMW has awarded a BMW Hole-in-One Scholarship.
Day made his impressive shot on one of the two holes at the BMW Championship that awards a new BMW to the first player to make a hole-in-one. With his shot, Day received an all-new BMW M760i, which he graciously donated back to the Evans Scholars Foundation.
BMW also made a $50,000 donation to the Evans Scholars Foundation on behalf of legendary caddie Jim “Bones” Mackay. Known and beloved by golf fans for his 25 years alongside Phil Mickelson, Mackay was honored with induction into The Caddie Hall of Fame on Sept. 15 during the Gardner Heidrick Pro-Am Awards dinner.
“During this season of giving, we’re proud to once again donate the proceeds from the BMW Championship to such a worthy cause,” said Vince Pellegrino, WGA Senior Vice President of Tournaments. “The tremendous support we received from our partners at BMW, as well as Chicagoland golf fans and the local and regional corporate communities, helps ensure the Evans Scholars Foundation is able to continue awarding full tuition and housing scholarships to caddies.”
Evans Scholars and Evans Scholars Alumni were featured prominently throughout tournament week. Current Scholars and Alumni – some of whom graduated from college decades ago – worked as caddies in Monday’s Evans Scholars Cup and Wednesday’s playing of the Gardner Heidrick Pro-Am. Scholars and Alumni donated their tips back to the Evans Scholars Program and helped raise more than $1 million.
Evans Scholars also interacted with spectators at a putting challenge inside the BMW Experience, and were introduced between tee times for the final groups on Saturday and Sunday. Northwestern University Evans Scholar Mackenzie Lim was featured in a television segment produced by NBC that exposed millions of golf fans worldwide to the Program and its mission. “
The 2018 BMW Championship is set for September 4-9 at Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania. The event will return to Chicago in 2019 when iconic Medinah Country Country hosts the penultimate event of the PGA TOUR FedExCup Playoffs and a field of the game’s biggest stars.
