The penultimate FedEx Cup playoff event on the PGA Tour schedule is a professional golf tournament called the BMW Championship. The BMW Championship was first held in 2007 and was formerly called the Western Open. The event is managed by the Western Golf Association, which established and oversaw the Western Open. The BMW Championship was selected as the PGA Tour's 2012, 2013, and 2014 Tournament of the Year. Aside from the four major events, the BMW Championship is the longest-running regular event on the PGA Tour schedule.
In 1899, 124 years ago, the Western Open took place for the first time and was played throughout the state of Illinois for a long time before relocating to the Chicago region. Nonetheless, in terms of the invitational criteria and playing format, these are two completely separate events. Despite being regarded as one of golf's majors, the Western Open was just another regular stop on the PGA Tour. The FedEx Cup Playoffs include the BMW Championship, and participation is limited to the top FedEx Cup point scorers at the beginning of the BMW event.
Who won the BMW Championship in 2024?
Keegan Bradley won the 2024 BMW Championship, his second victory at the event after he won in 2018. He took home $3.6 million, the winner's share of the $20 million purse; this was his seventh PGA Tour win. He won the event on a single stroke at 12-under 276, earning him a significant victory that gained him entry to the season-ending Tour Championship. Adam Scott, Ludvig Aberg, and Sam Burns finished tied as the runner-up.
Who won the BMW Championship in 2023?
Viktor Hovland won the 2023 BMW Championship, his fifth PGA Tour victory, at Olympia Fields Country Club, which is located close to Chicago, Illinois. He took home the $3.6 million winner's share of the $20 million purse. Hovland defeated Matt Fitzpatrick and Scottie Scheffler by two shots on 17-under 263, capping the tournament with an amazing back-nine 28 to shoot a course record of 61. With a 12-under total, Rory McIlroy finished in third place, much ahead of the three-person chase that emerged throughout the last nine holes of the event.
The BMW Championship Winners List Year-by-Year
| Year | Winner | Score | ToPar | Margin | Winner's share | Venue |
| 2024 | Keegan Bradley (2) | 276 | -12 | 1 | $3,600,000 | Castle Pines |
| 2023 | Viktor Hovland | 263 | -17 | 2 | $3,600,000 | Olympia Fields |
| 2022 | Patrick Cantlay (2) | 270 | −14 | 1 | $2,700,000 | Wilmington |
| 2021 | Patrick Cantlay | 261 | −27 | PO | $1,710,000 | Caves Valley |
| 2020 | Jon Rahm | 276 | −4 | PO | $1,710,000 | Olympia Fields |
| 2019 | Justin Thomas | 263 | −25 | 3 | $1,665,000 | Medinah No. 3 |
| 2018 | Keegan Bradley | 260 | −20 | PO | $1,620,000 | Aronimink |
| 2017 | Marc Leishman | 261 | −23 | 5 | $1,575,000 | Conway Farms |
| 2016 | Dustin Johnson (2) | 265 | −23 | 3 | $1,530,000 | Crooked Stick |
| 2015 | Jason Day | 262 | −22 | 6 | $1,485,000 | Conway Farms |
| 2014 | Billy Horschel | 266 | −14 | 2 | $1,440,000 | Cherry Hills |
| 2013 | Zach Johnson | 268 | −16 | 2 | $1,440,000 | Conway Farms |
| 2012 | Rory McIlroy | 268 | −20 | 2 | $1,440,000 | Crooked Stick |
| 2011 | Justin Rose | 271 | −13 | 2 | $1,440,000 | Cog Hill |
| 2010 | Dustin Johnson | 275 | −9 | 1 | $1,350,000 | Cog Hill |
| 2009 | Tiger Woods (5) | 265 | −19 | 8 | $1,350,000 | Cog Hill |
| 2008 | Camilo Villegas | 265 | −15 | 2 | $1,260,000 | Bellerive |
| 2007 | Tiger Woods (4) | 262 | −22 | 2 | $1,260,000 | Cog Hill |
The Western Open Winners List Year-by-Year
| Year | Winner | Score | Course |
| 2006 | Trevor Immelman | 271 (13-under) | Cog Hill G&CC, Lemont, Ill. |
| 2005 | Jim Furyk | 270 (14-under) | Cog Hill G&CC, Lemont, Ill. |
| 2004 | Stephen Ames | 274 (10-under) | Cog Hill G&CC, Lemont, Ill. |
| 2003 | Tiger Woods | 267 (21-under) | Cog Hill G&CC, Lemont, Ill. |
| 2002 | Jerry Kelly | 269 (19-under) | Cog Hill G&CC, Lemont, Ill. |
| 2001 | Scott Hoch | 267 (21-under) | Cog Hill G&CC, Lemont, Ill. |
| 2000 | Robert Allenby | 274 (14-under) | Cog Hill G&CC, Lemont, Ill. |
| 1999 | Tiger Woods | 273 (15-under) | Cog Hill G&CC, Lemont, Ill. |
| 1998 | Joe Durant | 271 (17-under) | Cog Hill G&CC, Lemont, Ill. |
| 1997 | Tiger Woods | 275 (13-under) | Cog Hill G&CC, Lemont, Ill. |
| 1996 | Steve Stricker | 270 (18-under) | Cog Hill G&CC, Lemont, Ill. |
| 1995 | Billy Mayfair | 279 (9-under) | Cog Hill G&CC, Lemont, Ill. |
| 1994 | Nick Price | 277 (11-under) | Cog Hill G&CC, Lemont, Ill. |
| 1993 | Nick Price | 269 (19-under) | Cog Hill G&CC, Lemont, Ill. |
| 1992 | Ben Crenshaw | 276 (12-under) | Cog Hill G&CC, Lemont, Ill. |
| 1991 | Russ Cochran | 275 (13-under) | Cog Hill G&CC, Lemont, Ill. |
| 1990 | Wayne Levi | 275 (13-under) | Butler National GC, Oak Brook, Ill. |
| 1989 | Mark McCumber | 275 (13-under) | Butler National GC, Oak Brook, Ill. |
| 1988 | Jim Benepe | 278 (10-under) | Butler National GC, Oak Brook, Ill. |
| 1987 | D.A. Weibring | 207 (9-under) | Butler National GC, Oak Brook, Ill. |
| 1986 | Tom Kite | 286 (2-under) | Butler National GC, Oak Brook, Ill. |
| 1985 | Scott Verplank | 279 (9-under) | Butler National GC, Oak Brook, Ill. |
| 1984 | Tom Watson | 280 (8-under) | Butler National GC, Oak Brook, Ill. |
| 1983 | Mark McCumber | 284 (4-under) | Butler National GC, Oak Brook, Ill. |
| 1982 | Tom Weiskopf | 276 (12-under) | Butler National GC, Oak Brook, Ill. |
| 1981 | Ed Fiori | 277 (11-under) | Butler National GC, Oak Brook, Ill. |
| 1980 | Scott Simpson | 281 (7-under) | Butler National GC, Oak Brook, Ill. |
| 1979 | Larry Nelson | 286 (2-under) | Butler National GC, Oak Brook, Ill. |
| 1978 | Andy Bean | 282 (6-under) | Butler National GC, Oak Brook, Ill. |
| 1977 | Tom Watson | 283 (5-under) | Butler National GC, Oak Brook, Ill. |
| 1976 | Al Geiberger | 288 (4-over) | Butler National GC, Oak Brook, Ill. |
| 1975 | Hale Irwin | 283 (1-under) | Butler National GC, Oak Brook, Ill. |
| 1974 | Tom Watson | 287 (3-over) | Butler National GC, Oak Brook, Ill. |
| 1973 | Billy Casper | 272 (12-under) | Midlothian CC, Midlothian, Ill. |
| 1972 | Jim Jamieson | 271 (13-under) | Sunset Ridge, Winnetka, Ill. |
| 1971 | Bruce Crampton | 279 (5-under) | Olympia Fields CC, Olympia Fields |
| 1970 | Hugh Royer | 273 (11-under) | Beverly CC, Chicago |
| 1969 | Billy Casper | 276 (8-under) | Midlothian CC, Midlothian, Ill. |
| 1968 | Jack Nicklaus | 273 (11-under) | Olympia Fields CC, Olympia Fields, |
| 1967 | Jack Nicklaus | 274 (10-under) | Beverly CC, Chicago |
| 1966 | Billy Casper | 283 (1-under) | Medinah CC, Medinah, Ill. |
| 1965 | Billy Casper | 270 (14-under) | Tam O'Shanter CC, Niles, Ill. |
| 1964 | Chi Chi Rodriguez | 268 (16-under) | Tam O'Shanter CC, Niles, Ill. |
| 1963 | x-Arnold Palmer | 280 (4-under) | Beverly CC, Chicago |
| 1962 | Jacky Cupit | 281 (3-under) | Medinah CC, Medinah, Ill. |
| 1961 | Arnold Palmer | 271 (13-under) | Blythefield CC, Grand Rapids |
| 1960 | x-Stan Leonard | 278 (10-under) | Western G&CC, Detroit |
| 1959 | Mike Souchak | 272 (12-under) | Pittsburgh Field Club, Fox Chapel |
| 1958 | Doug Sanders | 275 (13-under) | Red Run GC, Royal Oak, Mich. |
| 1957 | x-Doug Ford | 279 (9-under) | Plum Hollow GC, Detroit, Mich. |
| 1956 | x-Mike Fetchick | 284 (4-under) | Presidio GC, San Francisco |
| 1955 | Cary Middlecoff | 272 (16-under) | Portland GC, Portland, Ore. |
| 1954 | x-Lloyd Mangrum | 277 (11-under) | Kenwood CC, Cincinnati |
| 1953 | Dutch Harrison | 278 (6-under) | Bellerive CC, St. Louis |
| 1952 | Lloyd Mangrum | 274 (14-under) | Westwood CC, St. Louis |
| 1951 | Marty Furgol | 270 (14-under) | Davenport CC, Davenport, Iowa |
| 1950 | Sam Snead | 282 (6-under) | Brentwood CC, Los Angeles |
| 1949 | Sam Snead | 268 (20-under) | Pittsburgh Field Club, Fox Chapel |
| 1948 | x-Ben Hogan | 281 (7-under) | Brookfield CC, Buffalo, N.Y. |
| 1947 | John Palmer | 270 (18-under) | Salt Lake City CC, Salt Lake City |
| 1946 | Ben Hogan | 271 (17-under) | Sunset CC, St. Louis |
| 1945 | No tournament | - | - |
| 1944 | No tournament | - | - |
| 1943 | No tournament | - | - |
| 1942 | Herman Barron | 276 (8-under) | Phoenix GC, Phoenix, Ariz. |
| 1941 | Ed Oliver | 275 (9-under) | Phoenix GC, Phoenix, Ariz. |
| 1940 | x-Jimmy Demerat | 293 (5-over) | River Oaks CC, Houston |
| 1939 | Byron Nelson | 281 (3-under) | Medinah CC, Medinah, Ill. |
| 1938 | Ralph Guldahl | 279 (9-under) | Westwood CC, St. Louis |
| 1937 | x-Ralph Guldahl | 288 (Even) | Canterbury CC, Cleveland, Ohio |
| 1936 | Ralph Guldahl | 274 (10-under) | Davenport CC, Davenport, Iowa |
| 1935 | John Revolta | 290 (6-over) | South Bend CC, South Bend, Ind. |
| 1934 | x-Harry Cooper | 274 (6-under) | CC of Peoria, Peoria, Ill. |
| 1933 | Mac Smith | 282 (2-under) | Olympia Fields CC, Olympia Fields |
| 1932 | Walter Hagen | 287 (1-under) | Canterbury GC, Cleveland, Ohio |
| 1931 | Ed Dudley | 280 (4-under) | Miami Valley GC, Dayton, Ohio |
| 1930 | Gene Sarazen | 278 (N/A) | Indianwood G&CC, Detroit |
| 1929 | Tommy Armour | 273 (7-under) | Ozaukee CC, Milwaukee, Wis. |
| 1928 | Abe Espinosa | 291 (3-over) | North Shore GC, Chicago |
| 1927 | Walter Hagen | 281 (3-under) | Olympia Fields CC, Olympia Fields |
| 1926 | Walter Hagen | 279 (1-under) | Highland G&CC, Indianapolis, Ind. |
| 1925 | Mac Smith | 281 (3-under) | Youngstown CC, Youngstown, Ohio |
| 1924 | Bill Mehlhorn | 293 (5-over) | Calumet CC, Chicago |
| 1923 | Jock Hutchison | 281 (1-over) | Colonial CC, Memphis, Tenn. |
| 1922 | Mike Brady | 291 (3-over) | Oakland Hills CC, Detroit |
| 1921 | Walter Hagen | 287 (3-over) | Oakwood Club, Cleveland, Ohio |
| 1920 | Jock Hutchison | 296 (12-over) | Olympia Fields CC, Olympia Fields |
| 1919 | Jim Barnes | 283 (5-under) | Mayfield CC, Cleveland, Ohio |
| 1918 | No tournament | - | - |
| 1917 | Jim Barnes | 283 (5-under) | Westmoreland CC, Chicago |
| 1916 | Walter Hagen | 286 (N/A) | Blue Mound CC, Chicago |
| 1915 | Tom McNamara | 304 (16-over) | Glen Oak CC, Chicago |
| 1914 | Jim Barnes | 293 (1-over) | Interlachen CC, Minneapolis, Minn. |
| 1913 | John McDermott | 295 (15-over) | Memphis CC, Memphis, Tenn. |
| 1912 | Mac Smith | 299 (11-over) | Idlewild CC, Chicago |
| 1911 | Robert Simpson | 2&1 | Kent CC, Grand Rapids, Mich. |
| 1910 | Charles Evans Jr. | 6&5 | Beverly CC, Chicago |
| 1909 | Willie Anderson | 288 (Even) | Skokie CC, Chicago |
| 1908 | Willie Anderson | 299 (15-over) | Normandie GC, St. Louis |
| 1907 | Robert Simpson | 307 (23-over) | Hinsdale GC, Hinsdale, Ill. |
| 1906 | Alex Smith | 306 (26-under) | Homewood CC, Chicago |
| 1905 | Arthur Smith | 278 (6-under) | Cincinnati GC, Cincinnati, Ohio |
| 1904 | Willie Anderson | 304 (20-over) | Kent CC, Grand Rapids, Mich. |
| 1903 | Alex Smith | 318 (30-over) | Milwaukee CC, Milwaukee, Wis. |
| 1902 | Willie Anderson | 299 (N/A) | Euclid Club, Cleveland, Ohio |
| 1901 | Laurie Auchterlonie | 160 (18-over) | Midlothian CC, Chicago |
| 1900 | No tournament | - | - |
| 1899 | Willie Smith | 156 (12-over) | Glen View GC, Chicago |
Multiple BMW Championship Champions
The information provided includes Western Open and BMW Championship winners.
| No. of Wins | Name | Country | Years |
| 5 | Walter Hagen | United States | 1997, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2009 |
| 5 | Tiger Woods | United States | 1916, 1920, 1921, 1926, 1927 |
| 4 | Billy Casper | United States | 1965, 1966, 1968, 1973 |
| 4 | Willie Anderson | Scotland | 1902, 1904, 1908, 1909 |
| 3 | Ralph Guldahl | United States | 1936, 1937, 1938 |
| 2 | Ben Hogan | United States | 1948, 1950 |
| 2 | Willie Smith | Scotland | 1900, 1902 |
| 2 | Alex Smith | Scotland | 1905, 1906 |
| 2 | Macdonald Smith | Scotland | 1925, 1933 |
| 2 | Nick Price | Zimbabwe | 1993, 1994 |
| 2 | Mark McCumber | United States | 1987, 1989 |
| 2 | Patrick Cantlay | United States | 2021, 2022 |
| 2 | Keegan Bradley | United States | 2018, 2024 |
FAQs on BMW Championship
The 2024 BMW Championship was won by Keegan Bradley for the second time by a margin of one stroke, earning $3.6 million in the winner's share.
A. The Western Golf Association (WGA) manages the BMW Championship, continuing its oversight from the Western Open.
A. No, they are separate events on the basis of format. The former Western Open was a regular PGA Tour stop, while the current BMW Championship is playoff-exclusive. However, the tournament was barely renamed.
A. Top FedEx Cup point scorers after the FedEx St. Jude Championship qualify. In 2023, the top 50 players qualified.
A. The FedEx Cup winner is decided at the Tour Championship, where the top 30 from the points list advance.
