BMW Championship: August’s party at Castle Rock named PGA tournament of the year

BMW Championship raised $10.2 million for caddie scholarships

By Jim Bebbington

This summer’s BMW Championship at Castle Pines Golf Club was definitively a success – big crowds, good weather and exciting competition.

But now it’s official.

The PGA Tour named the championship its ‘Tournament of the Year’ at its annual meeting and this week announced that the event raised a record $10.2 million for the Western Golf Association’s Evans Scholars Foundation.

The tournament drew 138,000 spectators for the practice and competition rounds Aug. 20 to 25. It was the first PGA Tour event held in Colorado since the 2014 BMW Championship at Cherry Hills Country Club.

“So many moments from this year will stay with us, but what really stands out is how the golf fans of Colorado joined with our partners at BMW, Castle Pines Golf Club and the PGA Tour to make such a tremendous difference for youth caddies,” said Vince Pellegrino, WGA Senior Vice President of Tournaments. “This contribution means hundreds of deserving young men and women will have an opportunity to change their lives for the better.”

The Evans Scholars Foundation awards 340 full housing and tuition scholarships to caddies across the country every year, and the organization has a chapter at the University of Colorado. The scholarship fund is the official charity of the BMW Championship, which has helped raise $60.2 million for the foundation since 2007.

The tournament was the second-leg of the three week FedEx Cup finals for the PGA Tour and drew the best 50 golfers on the Tour. Keegan Bradley, the captain of the 2025 U.S. Ryder Cup team, won with a 12-under par.

Operators of Castle Pines Golf Club had spent the better part of a decade preparing to host the tournament. The course had been fully renovated and updated – a process overseen by the original architect, Jack Nicklaus. The clubhouse also received a multi-million dollar makeover.

The connection with the Evans Scholars was particularly strong as Castle Pines Golf Club’s Chairman, George Solich, and his brother Duffy are both Evans Scholars. They were named to the Caddie Hall of Fame during the tournament, and Duffy Solich was the chairman of the BMW Championship tournament.

Evans Scholars caddied for many of the players during the pro-am on the Wednesday before the BMW Championship competition rounds began.

The BMW Championship has won the PGA Tour’s ‘Tournament of the Year’ designation six times since 2008, including 2014 when it was hosted by Cherry Hills Country Club.

George Solich said, “Delivering The Best Day of Golf in America is the standard we set and uphold at Castle Pines Golf Club. This prestigious recognition is a testament to the unforgettable experience we created together by showcasing the beauty and quality of the golf course and Club, the spirit of competition, and the camaraderie and support of our incredible membership and greater community.”