PGA Golfer Rory McIlroy Challenged Gary Woodland in Driving Event To Kick Off BMW Championship Week

WOODCLIFF LAKE, N.J., Sept. 10, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The 2013 BMW Championship kicked off on Tuesday, September 10 when PGA golfer and defending champion Rory Mcllroy competed in a driving challenge with Gary Woodland in a BMW i3, the first purpose built electric vehicle made primarily of carbon fiber.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130910/NY77577-a)

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130910/NY77577-b)

McIlroy and Woodland competed on a specially created driving course at Six Flags Great America for the BMW Championship and Evans Scholars Foundation, to which BMW made a $10,000 donation in their honor. They completed several laps in the i3 on the course, and were only two seconds shy of beating the track record. Both golfers were two of the first people in the world to drive the i3 since the car's global reveal on July 29. The i3 will launch in the US in spring 2014. They were joined at the finish line by Evans Scholars Justin Cruz and Yesenia Juarez who are both students at Northwestern University.

"With the playoffs in full swing, it was thrilling to kick off the BMW Championship in a fun and fast fashion," McIlroy said.  "Today's competition was fierce, but the true winners are the Evans Scholars."

The 2013 BMW Championship will be played from Thursday, September 12 through Sunday, September 15 at Conway Farms Golf Club in Lake Forest, IL where the top 70 players on the PGA TOUR will compete for the FedExCup.  Mcllroy and Woodland will be joined by Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Adam Scott and Luke Donald.  All proceeds from the BMW Championship will benefit the Evans Scholars Foundation.  Since 2007, the BMW Championship has raised more than $14 million for the Evans Scholars Foundation.

"The Evans Scholars program is one of our most rewarding initiatives and I am inspired every year by their dedication and commitment to higher education," said Ludwig Willisch, President of BMW of North America.  "We are thrilled to continue our support of the Evans Scholars Foundation and allow young men and women the opportunity to pursue their goals."

In addition to supporting the Evans Scholars Foundation through the BMW Championship, BMW of North America, LLC also provides a summer internship program for Evans Scholars to work for BMW, offering them real-world experience and invaluable insight into their future careers.

Continuing the BMW Championship tradition, there will be many incentives for those who score a hole-in-one at this year's tournament.

• EVANS SCHOLARSHIP: BMW will provide a full four-year Evans Scholarship worth $100,000 in the name of the first player to score a hole-in-one on any hole during the tournament. 
• BMW i3: The first player to hit a hole-in-one on the 17^th hole will receive a new BMW i3, the first purpose-built electric vehicle to be made primarily of carbon fiber from the ground up. BMW i is BMW's sustainable brand with a mission to develop visionary vehicles and services that revolutionize individual mobility.
• BMW M6 GRAN COUPE: The first player who achieves a hole-in-one on the 11^th Hole will receive a new, a new 4-door addition to the M Series line that successfully combines high performance, outstanding technology and the sensation of motor sports with interior room and amenities for up to five passengers. It features aTwinPower Turbo V-8 engine and accelerates from 0-60 in 4.2 seconds.

"BMW has supported the Evans Scholars in many ways since first partnering with us for the BMW Championship in 2007," said Vince Pellegrino, Western Golf Association vice president of tournaments. "Thanks to BMW, many more caddies are attending college today as Evans Scholars. Together, BMW and the Evans Scholars Foundation are changing lives through the gift of education."

The BMW Championship will feature many exciting attractions for golfing fans and automobile enthusiasts.  These include:

• BMW EXPERIENCE: Explore some of BMW's newest vehicles at the BMW Experience located on the right side of the Driving Range. This area includes a variety of new BMW models on display, including the BMW i3, 4 Series and X5, providing the opportunity to explore these Ultimate Driving Machines® inside and out. In addition, attendees can also test their racing skills against other patrons at the BMW Race Track with BMW remote controlled race cars.
• TEAM USA BOBSLED:  BMW has paired intelligent lightweight materials with optimized aerodynamics to design a two-man bobsled for USA Bobsled & Skeleton Federation. Team USA will be equipped with a fleet of two-man BMW bobsleds to prepare them on their road to the 2014 Sochi Olympic Winter games and beyond. The bobsled will be on display at the BMW Experience and Team USA bobsledders Steve Langton and Curt Tomasevicz will be on hand to meet with fans on Thursday, September 12 and Friday, September 13.
• BMW FAN CHALLENGE: Patrons can take their shot at the BMW Fan Challenge located in the BMW Experience for the chance to win the ultimate prize, an all-new BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo to any and all fans who achieve a hole-in-one at any point during the tournament week. The BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo is based on the award-winning BMW 3 Series sedan that features a slightly longer profile, expanded space for luggage, panoramic moon roof, 6-cynlinder engine, all with comfortable seating for five and more legroom that a typical full size sedan. In addition, patrons will have the opportunity to 'Beat the Pro' in a closest-to-the-pin contest with prizes awarded daily to the top performers.
• BMW OWNERS' PAVILION: A BMW key unlocks the best that the BMW Championship has to offer. BMW owners are invited to enter the private BMW Owners' Pavilion, located between the 16^th green and 17^th tee, simply by showing their BMW key. Owners can relax in an air-conditioned environment while enjoying premium concessions. Watch a live broadcast of Golf Channel's official coverage of the BMW Championship from the Golf Channel Studio located inside the BMW Owners' Pavilion. The BMW Owners' Pavilion also offers luxury grandstand seating with spectacular views of the course to watch the top players in the world compete in the BMW Championship.
• BIERGARTEN: With a video board showing live tournament coverage and a manual scoreboard letting you know who's at the top of the leaderboard, the Biergarten is a great place to relax without missing any of the action.

BMW is also providing opportunities for players to build excitement for the BMW Championship and Evans Scholars during the practice rounds, including:

• USA TABLE TENNIS EXHIBITION: Olympic Table Tennis player Timothy Wang will challenge PGA TOUR players in the Conway Farms Clubhouse on Wednesday, September 13.
• PLAYER DRIVE: Participants in the tournament can drive the latest BMW vehicles on Tuesday on a BMW designed course.

Daily Clubhouse tickets to the BMW Championship are $40.  Thursday, September 12, is BMW owners' day; anyone who presents a BMW key will get in free.  Weekly badges are available to purchase in advance for $100.  Juniors 16 and under are admitted free when accompanied by a ticketed adult.  Parking is complimentary for BMW owners.

Additionally, with the presentation of a valid veteran/military ID, active or retired military personnel will receive free admission to the BMW Championship, on any day of the tournament.

For more information call 847-724-4600 or visit www.bmwchampionshipusa.com.

BMW Group In America
BMW of North America, LLC has been present in the United States since 1975.  Rolls-Royce Motor Cars NA, LLC began distributing vehicles in 2003.  The BMW Group in the United States has grown to include marketing, sales, and financial service organizations for the BMW brand of motor vehicles, including motorcycles, the MINI brand, and the Rolls-Royce brand of Motor Cars; DesignworksUSA, a strategic design consultancy in California; a technology office in Silicon Valley and various other operations throughout the country.  BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC in South Carolina is part of BMW Group's global manufacturing network and is the exclusive manufacturing plant for all X5 and X3 Sports Activity Vehicles and X6 Sports Activity Coupes.  The BMW Group sales organization is represented in the U.S. through networks of 338 BMW passenger car and BMW Sports Activity Vehicle centers, 139 BMW motorcycle retailers, 119 MINI passenger car dealers, and 34 Rolls-Royce Motor Car dealers.  BMW (US) Holding Corp., the BMW Group's sales headquarters for North America, is located in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey.

Information about BMW Group products is available to consumers via the Internet at:  www.bmwgroupna.com.

Journalist note: Press releases, photos and videos about the 2013 BMW Championship are available on-line at www.bmwusanews.com/BMWChampionship.  Further information about BMW Group and its products in the USA is available to journalists on-line at www.bmwgroupusanews.com and www.press.bmwna.com. 

Evans Scholars Foundation: Created in 1930, the Evans Scholars Foundation started with two Northwestern University students and has been managed since its inception by the Western Golf Association. To date, the foundation has offered more than 10,500 college scholarships to golf caddies, and during the 2013-2014 academic school year 840 caddies are attending college on Evans Scholarships, receiving tuition and housing benefits totaling more than $12 million.

SOURCE BMW North America