Winners of 2023 BMW Championship Art Contest announced
GLENVIEW, Ill. – The Western Golf Association has named three Chicago-area students the winners of its art contest that will inspire a new mural to celebrate the 2023 BMW Championship, held Aug. 15-20 at Olympia Fields Country Club in Olympia Fields, Illinois.
The winners are Miley McCullum, a junior at Lyons Township High School; Kaylee Davenport, a sophomore at Mother McAuley Liberal Arts High School; and Gavan Little, a sophomore at Schaumburg High School. Each winning artist received a BMW Championship prize pack, including tickets, official championship merchandise, and a pin flag signed by BMW Championship winners Patrick Cantlay and Justin Thomas.
"Congratulations to Miley, Kaylee, and Gavan for their incredible artwork and for helping us educate fans about Chicagoland's rich history with the BMW Championship and the game of golf," said Vince Pellegrino, WGA Senior VP of Tournaments. "The enthusiasm we received from talented young people for this art contest was incredible, and we believe it mirrors the community excitement for the 2023 BMW Championship's return to this area in a few weeks."
The mural will be displayed for fans to enjoy near the Practice Area and Gate 1 of the BMW Championship. Tens of thousands of spectators will pass through the pathway throughout the tournament, which will feature the top 50 players on the PGA TOUR as they compete in the second FedExCup Playoffs event this August.
The winners were selected because their submissions perfectly captured the competition's "Golf in Chicago" theme and illustrated feelings of joy, optimism, triumph, and determination that are part of the game. Artists were also encouraged to explore iconic moments in tournament history, such as Jon Rahm making a 66-foot birdie putt to win the 2020 event at Olympia Fields in a playoff.
The mural will be painted by Brett Whitacre, a self-taught artist living and working in Northern Illinois with extensive experience painting murals in communities statewide. His art is inspired by a mix of vintage and modern advertising as well as American history.
“I’m honored to be involved with this project and excited to highlight this mural on the global stage with the 2023 BMW Championship,” said Whitacre. “Thank you again to the Western Golf Association and the BMW Championship for the opportunity to bring these students’ artwork to life and celebrate the community’s rich history with the game of golf.”
Tickets for the 2023 BMW Championship are still available at bmwchampionship.com/tickets. All proceeds from the event benefit the Evans Scholars Foundation, which provides full tuition and housing college scholarships to youth caddies across the country.
Kaylee Davenport
Mother McAuley Liberal Arts High School
Miley McCullum
Lyons Township High School
Gavan Little
Schaumburg High School