St. Louis Celebrates 20th BMW Championship with Pro-Am to Benefit Evans Scholars Foundation

The 20th edition of the BMW Championship, the penultimate playoff stop on the PGA TOUR, launched today at Bellerive Country Club in St. Louis, Missouri, with the traditional Garnder Heidrick Pro-Am. All proceeds from the event—including funds raised from Pro-Am spots—go directly to the Evans Scholars Foundation (ESF), a charity operated by tournament organizers Western Golf Association. The ESF provides full-tuition and housing scholarships to deserving caddies. Since the BMW Championship debuted in 2007, the tournament has raised over $63 million for the foundation. Juliya Tabaka of Manchester, Missouri, was named the latest BMW Hole-in-One Scholar at the Pro-Am. Tabaka will receive a full, four-year Evans Scholarship covering tuition and accommodation at the University of Missouri, funded by Akshay Bhatia’s (USA) ace during the third round of last year’s BMW Championship at Caves Valley Golf Club (Owings Mills, Maryland). “Akshay’s hole-in-one was an unforgettable moment, and its impact now extends far beyond the golf course,” said Sebastian Mackensen, President and CEO of BMW of North America. “Through our longstanding partnership with the Western Golf Association, BMW is proud to help Juliya and other deserving young caddies pursue their college dreams. We look forward to seeing all she accomplishes at Missouri and beyond.” Tabaka, a former caddie at Bellerive Country Club, is the seventh recipient of a BMW Hole-in-One Scholarship. “Being named the BMW Hole-in-One Scholar means so much to me and my family,” Tabaka said. “My mom has made countless sacrifices to give my siblings and me every opportunity, and this scholarship will allow me to study animal sciences at the University of Missouri as I pursue my dream of becoming a veterinarian. I’m incredibly grateful and excited to thank Akshay in person for his incredible shot that helped make this possible.” This year, BMW will fund another full ESF scholarship for the first hole-in-one in a tournament round. The player who aces the 16th hole will also win a BMW car. For the first time in tournament history, the sharpshooter will get to choose between two models: the new BMW X5 and the all-electric BMW iX3, the first model of the BMW Neue Klasse. The 20th anniversary field features the top 50 golfers in the PGA TOUR season standings, making it one of the strongest and most star-studded fields on the tour. No fewer than 19 of the world’s top 20 players are competing, including defending champion Scottie Scheffler (USA), reigning Masters winner Rory McIlroy (NIR), and defending FedExCup champion Tommy Fleetwood (ENG). The BMW Championship is being held at Bellerive Country Club for the second time, after its debut there in 2008. There will be no cut, allowing spectators to watch all 50 top players through Sunday. The field will then be narrowed to the top 30 players in the season standings after the BMW Championship, who will advance to the TOUR Championship in Atlanta, Georgia, next week.