2012 BMW Championship Earns PGA TOUR’s Tournament of Year Honor

Woodcliff Lake, NJ – December 11, 2012… The 2012 BMW Championship was named the Tournament of the Year by the PGA TOUR. Held at Crooked Stick Golf Club in Carmel, IN the BMW Championship was one of the top attended tournaments on the PGA TOUR in 2012 attracting more than 143,000 spectators and raising more $3.1 million on behalf of the Evans Scholars Foundation, the sole beneficiary of the event.

Hosted by BMW and conducted by the Western Golf Association, the BMW Championship is the penultimate event in the FedExCup Playoffs. All proceeds from the BMW Championship benefit the Evans Scholars Foundation, the WGA’s 82-year-old sister organization, which has been sending caddies-to-college since 1930. Since 2007 BMW has raised more than $14.1 million for the charity.

“On behalf of the PGA TOUR, I am pleased to acknowledge and congratulate the BMW Championship and the Western Golf Association on an outstanding event and to recognize the tournament team for its outstanding efforts,” said Andy Pazder, PGA TOUR executive vice-president and chief of operations. “The Western Golf Association and title sponsor BMW should be extremely proud of being recognized as the best among their peers on the TOUR.”

Pazder said the event’s successful tournament activation, ticket and corporate sales, attention to detail, and player amenities all played a significant role in its earning Tournament-of-the-Year status. The award was presented Thursday at the PGA TOUR Tournament Meetings in La Quinta, Calif.

Since the event’s inception BMW has made an effort to heighten the tournament experience for both spectators and players. BMW owner benefits have included complimentary tickets, exclusive parking shuttle transportation on-site, concierge service and private hospitality areas featuring some of the best views of the course. In addition, tournament patrons were treated to a 10,000 square foot BMW Experience interactive area, dynamic BMW vehicle displays, and premium concession and merchandise areas.

Players had the opportunity to test drive some of BMW’s newest vehicles throughout the week along with a unique “BMW Driving Experience”. BMW also staged a table tennis exhibition for PGA TOUR players to challenge US table tennis player Timothy Wang.

“On behalf of BMW of North America and the Western Golf Association, I would like to thank the PGA TOUR for honoring the BMW Championship as Tournament of the Year,” said Western Golf Association vice president of tournaments Vince Pellegrino. “The PGA TOUR co-sponsors more than 40 outstanding events each season, and to be singled out from among this esteemed group is truly humbling.

“Much of the credit for this honor should go to BMW, because its unparalleled commitment to excellence sets high standards for the event at every level of execution,” Pellegrino said. “The support BMW provides is unique among sports marketing partners. The WGA and Evans Scholars Foundation are grateful to have BMW as our sponsor.”

The BMW Championship also received PGA TOUR Tournament of the Year honors in 2008, when Bellerive Country Club in St. Louis hosted the event.

The 2013 BMW Championship is set for September 9-15 at Conway Farms Golf Club in Lake Forest, Ill.

Courtesy of BMW USA news