Liberty National Golf Club to host 2027 BMW Championship

 In a joint announcement, the PGA TOUR, Western Golf Association (WGA), and BMW officials have unveiled that the prestigious 2027 BMW Championship will be hosted at the Liberty National Golf Club in Jersey City, New Jersey. Although specific dates have yet to be disclosed, the event is slated for August 2027.

Vince Pellegrino, WGA Senior Vice President of Tournaments, expressed enthusiasm about the return of the PGA TOUR's top players to Liberty National for the BMW Championship. He emphasized the course's familiarity with the FedExCup Playoffs and the unparalleled experience it promises for both players and fans.

The 2027 edition will mark the PGA TOUR's comeback to Liberty National, which has previously hosted esteemed events including The Presidents Cup in 2017 and THE NORTHERN TRUST in 2009, 2013, 2019, and 2021. Notably, the club recently welcomed the 2023 Mizuho Americas Open, its inaugural LPGA Tour event.

Designed through a collaboration between U.S. Open Champion Tom Kite and renowned golf architect Bob Cupp, the parkland links style layout of Liberty National has been meticulously crafted for championship-level golf while offering breathtaking vistas of the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, and the Manhattan skyline.

Paul Fireman, co-founder of Liberty National Golf Club and former CEO of Reebok, expressed his honor at the club's selection to host the 2027 BMW Championship and FedExCup Playoffs. He eagerly anticipated welcoming the world's premier players and passionate fans against the iconic backdrop of the New York City skyline. Fireman underlined the club's track record of hosting high-profile events and its eagerness to add the BMW Championship and upcoming WGA competitions to its roster.

Dan Fireman, co-founder and president of Liberty National Golf Club, underscored the club's commitment to fostering an impeccable golfing experience and nurturing the sport for future generations. He spoke of the club's pride in supporting young golfers and caddies and highlighted the partnership with BMW and the WGA to create life-changing opportunities through the donation of Evans Scholars Foundation scholarships.

The 2027 BMW Championship will mark the tournament's debut in New Jersey and the New York metropolitan area, serving as the fifth stop on the East Coast since 2018. Currently, the 2023 BMW Championship is taking place at Olympia Fields Country Club in Olympia Fields, Illinois. Subsequent venues include Castle Pines Golf Club in Castle Rock, Colorado, in 2024, Caves Valley Golf Club in Owings Mills, Maryland, in 2025, and Bellerive Country Club in St. Louis, Missouri, in 2026.

Sebastian Mackensen, President and CEO of BMW of North America, emphasized the significance of hosting the BMW Championship in New Jersey, the company's home for nearly 50 years. He expressed pride in the enduring partnership with the Western Golf Association and Evans Scholars Foundation, which has positively impacted the lives of numerous young students.

Apart from an anticipated economic impact exceeding $30 million, the 2027 BMW Championship is poised to play a pivotal philanthropic role by introducing more golfers and fans in the region to the Evans Scholars Foundation (ESF) and its mission of providing full tuition and housing college scholarships to deserving youth caddies.

Since its inception, the BMW Championship has directed all proceeds towards the ESF, amassing over $45 million for Evans Scholarships since 2007. This year alone, there are 1,130 Evans Scholars enrolled in 24 prominent universities nationwide, with Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey, hosting ten recipients.

WGA President and CEO John Kaczkowski highlighted the BMW Championship's potential to showcase the impact of the Evans Scholars Program in a new market. He emphasized this step as part of their expansion efforts to reach deserving young caddies across the nation.

The Evans Scholars Program has notably expanded its presence on the East Coast through strategic university partnerships, including Rutgers University, the University of Maryland, and Howard University. Furthermore, more than 40 Evans Scholars reside at a Scholarship House at Penn State University. In 2022, the ESF established a long-term collaboration with the New Jersey State Golf Association's Caddie Scholarship Foundation to promote youth caddie opportunities and expand scholarship funding in the state.

Michael McFadden, President of the NJSGA and a former NJSGA Caddie Scholarship recipient, expressed enthusiasm about partnering with the ESF to enhance scholarship opportunities for New Jersey caddies. He highlighted the transformative potential of this collaboration, including a partnership with Rutgers University, in shaping the lives of young individuals in New Jersey.

The BMW Championship, featuring the top 50 PGA TOUR players competing for 30 spots in the season-ending TOUR Championship and the coveted FedExCup title, has a roster of esteemed past winners including Patrick Cantlay, Jon Rahm, Justin Thomas, and Tiger Woods.