BMW Championship 2026 Preview: Everything You Need to Know
The BMW Championship is the second event of the 2026 FedExCup Playoffs, bringing together the top 50 players in the standings after the FedEx St. Jude Championship.
This year’s event has an important change of scenery: the BMW Championship moves to Bellerive Country Club in St. Louis, Missouri, after being played at Caves Valley Golf Club in Maryland in 2025.
For followers of the FedExCup, the tournament is one of the season’s most consequential. Only the top 30 in the standings after the BMW Championship advance to the season-ending TOUR Championship at East Lake Golf Club, making every position on the leaderboard potentially significant.
There are plenty of narratives to follow, from Scottie Scheffler arriving after a dominant FedEx St. Jude Championship victory to players fighting to secure their place in the top 30. Read on to see how the tournament works, who is playing and what to expect from Bellerive in August.
How Does The BMW Championship Work?
The BMW Championship is played over four rounds of stroke play, with each player completing 18 holes per round. Scores are added together, and the player with the lowest 72-hole total wins.
The tournament is part of the FedExCup Playoffs and features the top 50 players in the FedExCup standings following the opening playoff event. There is no halfway cut, so every player in the field is scheduled to play all four rounds.
The event carries 750 FedExCup points for the winner in the 2026 playoff structure. More importantly, the BMW Championship determines which 30 players move on to the TOUR Championship, so the tournament is about much more than the title and prize money. Players near the qualifying line can gain or lose several positions during a single round.
That playoff context makes the BMW Championship particularly compelling. A strong finish can transform a player’s position heading into the final event of the season, while a poor week can end a player’s FedExCup campaign.
When Is The BMW Championship 2026?
The BMW Championship 2026 takes place from Thursday 20 August to Sunday 23 August.
The first and second rounds are scheduled for Thursday and Friday, followed by the third round on Saturday and the final round on Sunday. The PGA TOUR’s official schedule confirms the dates and lists Bellerive Country Club in St. Louis as the host venue.
Exact tee times are being published through the tournament’s official schedule, with the first-round pairings available ahead of Thursday’s opening round. Tee times can still be adjusted because of weather or other tournament considerations.
With the dates confirmed, attention turns to the course that will host this year’s championship.
Where Is The BMW Championship Held?
In 2026, the BMW Championship is being held at Bellerive Country Club in St. Louis, Missouri. The course is listed by the PGA TOUR at 7,448 yards and par 70 for the tournament.
Bellerive is a major championship venue with a history of hosting high-level professional golf, including the 2018 PGA Championship. Its length and demanding approach shots will place a premium on strong ball-striking, while the quality of the putting surfaces will also be important over four rounds.
This is a significant change from 2025, when Caves Valley Golf Club in Owings Mills, Maryland, hosted the BMW Championship. Bellerive therefore provides a new test for much of the 2026 field rather than a direct repeat of last year’s conditions.
The change of venue also means that course history at Caves Valley should not be treated as a major guide to this year’s tournament. Instead, current form and performance on a long, demanding layout are likely to be more relevant.
Who Won The BMW Championship 2025?
Scottie Scheffler won the BMW Championship in 2025 at Caves Valley Golf Club.
Scheffler finished at 15 under par after rounds of 66, 65, 67 and 67 for a four-round total of 265. Robert MacIntyre finished second at 13 under, while Maverick McNealy was third at 11 under. Scheffler earned $3.6 million and 2,000 FedExCup points for the victory under the 2025 scoring structure.
The 2025 result was particularly significant because Scheffler entered the BMW Championship as the leading player in the FedExCup standings and strengthened that position with his victory. He now returns to defend the title, although he will do so on an entirely different course in St. Louis.
What Time Does The BMW Championship Start?
The BMW Championship begins on Thursday 20 August, with the opening-round tee times scheduled at Bellerive Country Club.
The PGA TOUR has published the official tee-time schedule for the tournament, with players going out in groups during the opening rounds. Weekend times are determined by the leaderboard and tournament scheduling, with the final pairings generally going out later in the day on Sunday.
Because the BMW Championship has only 50 players and no cut, the entire field remains involved throughout the week. That makes the Saturday and Sunday tee-time order especially important for following players who are battling around the top-30 qualification line.
For viewers, the official PGA TOUR tee-time listings are the best source for the latest pairings and start times because schedules can change with weather and other tournament circumstances.
What Is The Cut at the BMW Championship?
There is no cut at the BMW Championship. All 50 players who qualify for the event are scheduled to play all four rounds.
That format creates a different kind of pressure from a conventional PGA TOUR event. Players do not have to worry about missing the weekend, but they do have to maximise their four-round opportunity because every stroke can affect their FedExCup position.
The most important battle is ultimately around the top 30. After the BMW Championship, only those 30 players advance to the TOUR Championship, making the absence of a cut less important than the position each player holds when the final putt drops on Sunday.
Who Is Playing In The BMW Championship 2026?
The 2026 field consists of the 50 players who qualified through the FedExCup standings after the FedEx St. Jude Championship.
Scottie Scheffler headlines the field after winning the opening playoff event at TPC Southwind by eight strokes. The leading players are joined by a group of contenders who will be particularly focused on securing one of the 30 places available at the TOUR Championship.
The 2026 field includes players such as Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose, Tommy Fleetwood, Ludvig Ã…berg, Viktor Hovland, Xander Schauffele, Matt Fitzpatrick, Cameron Young and other members of the FedExCup top 50. The exact starting order is available through the PGA TOUR’s official tournament field and tee-time listings.
With only 50 players competing, there is no room for a large number of outsiders or sponsor invitations to alter the field. Qualification is primarily determined by the FedExCup standings, which gives the tournament an unusually concentrated group of elite players.
What Is The Prize Money For The BMW Championship 2026?
The 2026 BMW Championship has a $20 million purse.
The event awards 750 FedExCup points to the winner under the 2026 playoff structure. The purse is distributed throughout the field, with the winner receiving the largest share.
The prize money is substantial, but the FedExCup implications are arguably even more important for many players. Finishing inside the top 30 after the BMW Championship is what matters for reaching the TOUR Championship, where the season-ending FedExCup title is decided.
Who Are The Favourites To Win The BMW Championship?
Scottie Scheffler is an obvious contender after beginning the playoffs with an eight-shot victory at the FedEx St. Jude Championship. He also arrives as the defending BMW Championship winner, having won the 2025 edition at Caves Valley.
Cameron Young and Matt Fitzpatrick are among the other players attracting attention in the build-up to the tournament. The PGA TOUR’s latest betting analysis identifies both as players capable of contending at Bellerive, while the wider field includes established stars such as Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose, Tommy Fleetwood, Viktor Hovland and Xander Schauffele.
The course change makes it difficult to rely solely on previous BMW Championship results. Current form, ball-striking and performance on a demanding par-70 layout are likely to be key factors as players tackle Bellerive for the first time in this event.
The BMW Championship therefore combines a strong field, a $20 million purse and a high-stakes FedExCup race. With just 30 places available for the TOUR Championship, the battle at both the top of the leaderboard and around the qualification line should provide plenty of drama from Thursday through Sunday.
Bet on the BMW Championship at Bet442
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