Steve Stricker's Hole-in-One at the 2012 BMW Championship Earns a $100,000 Four-Year Scholarship for a College-Bound Evans Scholar

CARMEL, Ind., Sept. 7, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- On just the second day of play at the 2012 BMW Championship, Steve Stricker scored a hole-in-one on Crooked Stick Golf Club's signature sixth hole, ensuring that BMW of North America will donate a $100,000 four-year scholarship to the Evans Scholars Foundation.  All proceeds from the BMW Championship also benefit the Evans Scholars Foundation, which provides scholarships to deserving young caddies.  Since 2007, the BMW Championship has raised more than $11 million for the charity.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120907/NY70586)

Justin Cruz, a sophomore Evans Scholar at Northwestern University, accepted the donation on behalf of the Evans Scholars Foundation.  This winter BMW and the Western Golf Association (WGA), sponsor of the Evans Scholars Foundation, will jointly select and award the scholarship in Stricker's name to a high school senior who will be attending Stricker's alma mater, The University of Illinois.

Stricker's amazing shot came early in today's play as he stepped up to the par three sixth hole.  Using a 6 iron, Stricker holed his tee shot from 199 yards, simultaneously fulfilling the dreams of one lucky college-bound Evans Scholar. 

"Congratulations to Steve Stricker for making an incredible shot.  The most rewarding thing about being a part of this tournament is that in the end we are able to ensure that deserving young caddies can further their education," said Dan Creed, Vice President of Marketing, BMW of North America. 

"Each year BMW's contribution to the Evans Scholars dramatically changes the course of these young lives," said WGA President and CEO John Kaczkowski.  "We thank them for this additional commitment to the Evans Scholars Foundation and congratulate Steve Stricker on today's hole-in-one."

Friday's shot was the third hole-in-one for Stricker on the PGA TOUR.  He previously had a hole-in-one at last year's Memorial Tournament and at the 1997 Waste Management Phoenix Open.  Unofficially, the ace at Crooked Stick was his second in less than two weeks.  During last week's pro-am at the Deutsche Bank Championship, Stricker also holed his tee shot on the third hole at TPC Boston with a 3-iron.

A former All-American at Illinois, Stricker turned pro in 1990 and joined the PGA TOUR in 1993.  In 19 seasons he has won 12 tournament titles and posted top-10 finishes in all four majors.  He has also played on winning Ryder Cup (2008) and Presidents Cup (1996, 2007, 2009, 2011) teams.

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.

In 2010 Sean O'Hair aced the 211-yard, par three second hole on Cog Hill Golf & Country Club's Dubsdread course, earning a full college scholarship for Evans Scholar Helena Schwemmer.

This year's tournament marked the first time BMW also featured two hole-in-one vehicles, awarding the first player to achieve a hole-in-one on the 13^th Hole a new BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe and the first to do the same on the 17^th Hole a new BMW M5.

SOURCE BMW of North America, LLC