BMW Championship Returns to Lake Forest in September

Conway Farms Golf Club in Lake Forest will host the BMW Championship - one of the Western Golf Association’s four prestigious yearly tournaments - for the second time come September.

Alternating between a Chicago-area site in odd years and elsewhere in even years, the championship was a success its first time around at Conway Farms in 2013.

“We have a tremendous championship here in 2013,” said Tournament Director Vince Pellegrino. “We had just about every weather pattern that week, but we saw some great golf and Hunter May even had a hole-in-one on the final day.”

The tournament also produced the lowest 18-hole round of the season - a 59 from Jim Furyk. Zach Johnson won the tournament, which did not conclude until Monday due to weather delays.

Also on Lake Forest-Lake Bluff Patch: Baseball Team Composed of Local Talent To Compete in National Tournament

Bruce Keith, president of Conway Farms, said he was “elated” at the announcement that the BMW is returning to Lake Forest from September 14-20 this year. He described the club - designed by Tom Fazio before opening in 1991 - as “dedicated to fast play” and a “walking and inclusive” culture, while also touting some of the features of the new practice course.

“The city of Lake Forest has been tremendously supportive - so obviously we couldn’t pull this off without their interaction and support.”

Mayor Donald Schoenheider says he’s “especially proud” to have the championship back, considering he is a member of Conway Farms himself.

“We’ve had a lot happen in our community over the last two years,” he told reporters during a July media preview event. “Forest Park has been renovated, we’ve seen some renovation of Market Square and are beginning the largest construction project ever in Lake Forest with the $4 million expansion of Lake Forest Northwestern Medicine.”

Also on Lake Forest-Lake Bluff Patch: Local Agencies To Crackdown on Illegal Bicycle Riding

Each year, the BMW Championship benefits the WGA’s Evans Scholars Foundation - raising some $19.6 million over the last eight years in scholarships awarded to caddies with modest means.

“The proceeds helped send 870 caddies to college last year,” said Dennis O’Keefe, chairman of the WGA’s Evans Scholars Foundation board. O’Keefe added the plan is to grow the program to include 1,000 scholars a year by 2020.

Locally, two young men from Lake Forest High School and a young woman from Woodlands Academy won scholarships this year.

“We are incredibly proud of them and the work they put forward,” Schoenheider said.

The BMW Championship may be returning to Lake Forest, but not without some changes.

Also on Lake Forest-Lake Bluff Patch: Watchdog Group Created To Follow Lake Forest School Districts

Ticket sales will be capped at 27,000 and spectators will now be advised to park in Waukegan before boarding a 15-20 minute shuttle ride to the course.

But like 2013, more than 130,000 are expected to come to Lake Forest for the festivities surrounding the third leg of the FedEx Cup Playoffs. 

“We expect the 2015 Championship to be highly successful,” said Pellegrino. “We’ve had overwhelming support from the golf fans in Chicago, which made coming back here an easy decision.”