Tourney Benefiting Glenview's Evans Scholar Foundation Seeks Youth Art

GLENVIEW, IL — For nearly 100 years, Glenview's Evans Scholars Foundation has been providing full housing and tuition scholarships to high-achieving caddies across the country. Proceeds from the PGA's BMW Championship benefit the organization annually, and this year's event at Olympia Fields Country Club in August will be no different.

In addition, the Glenview-based Western Golf Association is seeking art submissions from Chicago-area students to inspire a new mural which will be created in celebration of the BMW tournament being held in Illinois this year. The tournament, which rotates sites, was also held at Olympia Fields in 2020. The tourney is scheduled for Aug. 15-20.

"This is an incredible opportunity for the talented young people of our community to show off their artistic ability while helping us celebrate the BMW Championship and the game of golf," said Vince Pellegrino, WGA senior vice president of tournaments. "This new mural will educate fans on their way to the BMW Championship and generate excitement for the event’s return to the Chicagoland area."

Organizers said submissions can also be inspired by the themes of youth and education, an ode to the Evans Scholars Foundation. Since 2007, BMW has raised more than $44.5 million for the program, enabling more than 3,300 young men and women to attend college. According to WGA, many of these individuals are the first members of their families to attend college and would not have been able to do so without the support of the Evans Scholarship.

Students in kindergarten through high school can enter by submitting a copy of their original drawing, painting or digital art creation by end of day, Friday, June 9. A panel of judges will determine up to three winners. A commissioned artist will then use those submissions to create a mural in the pedestrian tunnel that connects the Olympia Fields Metra station to Olympia Fields Country Club. Organizers expect tens of thousands of spectators will pass through the pathway over the duration of the tournament

Each winning artist will receive a BMW Championship prize pack, including tickets, official championship merchandise, and a pin flag signed by Patrick Cantlay — the reigning BMW Championship winner and the first player to win the tournament in consecutive years since the FedExCup began in 2007.

The WGA said the theme of the competition is “Golf in Chicago.” Judges will be interested in artwork that illustrates the feelings of joy, optimism, triumph and determination that are part of the game. Artists are also encouraged to explore iconic moments in tournament history, whether it’s Jack Nicklaus defending his title at Olympia Fields in 1968, Tiger Woods leading the crowd down the 18th fairway in 1997, Jon Rahm making a 66-foot birdie putt to win the 2020 event at Olympia Fields in a playoff, or any other thrilling snapshots from the championship’s rich history in Chicago.

Currently, a record 1,100 caddies are enrolled in 22 universities across the nation as Evans Scholars. The program is funded by contributions from more than 36,000 Par Club members, including Evans Scholars Alumni, as well as proceeds from the BMW Championship. Since the program’s inception in 1930, more than 11,815 caddies nationwide have graduated as Evans Scholars. To learn more, visit www.wgaesf.org.