"It's been a struggle for the WGA in Chicago ever since the old Western Open became rebranded as the BMW Championship in 2007 and moved to September."

Ed Sherman looks at just some of the dynamics facing the Western Golf Association in its relationship with the PGA Tour and its desire to keep funding the Evans Scholars.

The area hasn't embraced the switch from the popular July 4 dates. Truth be told, the new dates are extremely difficult for a variety of reasons. People aren't thinking of golf after Labor Day; school is back in session; and the tournament bumps up against football from high school, college and the pros.

Lackluster crowds have meant less scholarship money for the Evans Scholars.

Against that backdrop, the WGA saw what happened when the 2008 BMW was staged at Bellerive in St. Louis during the renovation of Cog Hill. The event drew huge crowds even without Tiger Woods, who was sidelined with a knee injury.

The WGA also is expecting a big turnout for 2012 in Indy. Holding a PGA Tour event in both towns is a novelty, and the prospect of seeing Mr. Woods or Phil Mickelson (Charl Schwartzel?) for the first time brings out the fans.

So on one hand, it's understandable the WGA would look elsewhere. I've seen how an Evans Scholarship completely changes the life of a fortunate recipient. The WGA wants to hand out as many scholarships as possible.

Here's the PGA Tour release on today's announcement for the 2014 BMW Championship at Cherry Hills:

Cherry Hills Country Club to host 2014 BMW Championship

Ponte Vedra Beach, FL -- Tradition-laden Cherry Hills Country Club in Cherry Hills Village, CO, will host the 2014 BMW Championship, tournament officials announced today. The tournament, conducted by the Western Golf Association to benefit the Evans Scholarship Foundation, is the third of four events in the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup.

“Cherry Hills has served as a worthy venue for many of golf’s finest championships and has been a long supporter of the Evans Scholars Foundation,” said Vince Pellegrino, Western Golf Association (WGA) vice president, tournaments. “We’re looking forward to bringing the world’s top players to Colorado for the 2014 PGA TOUR Playoffs.”

Since its founding in 1922 just outside of Denver, Cherry Hills has hosted two U.S. Opens, two PGA Championships, a U.S. Women’s Open and a U.S. Senior Open. In 2012, the club will host its second U.S. Amateur.

The 2014 BMW Championship will mark the first time since the 1985 PGA Championship that the world’s top male professional golfers have tested Cherry Hills’ challenging layout.

“Cherry Hills welcomes the opportunity to once again showcase our course and to put Denver at the center of the golf world in September 2014,” said John Elway, Cherry Hills president. “An important component of our club’s rich heritage has been to offer a worthy venue for the world’s finest professional and amateur golfers. Hosting the 2014 BMW Championship reaffirms our commitment to opening our course for competition at the highest level.”

Past champions at Cherry Hills have included some of golf’s finest players – Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Phil Mickelson, Hubert Green, Andy North and Ralph Guldahl – reflecting the quality of the challenge the William Flynn-designed course presents.

Cherry Hills’ tradition of supporting championships and scholarships makes it a worthy host for the 2014 BMW Championship. The club has been a leading partner with the WGA in developing Evans Scholars candidates among its caddie ranks. The WGA has sponsored the Evans Scholars program since 1930, providing full tuition and housing scholarships for caddies at 19 colleges and universities nationwide. Six caddies from Cherry Hills are current Evans Scholars at the University of Colorado, and 32 Evans Scholars Alumni caddied at Cherry Hills.

“Since the inception of the BMW Championship, one of our goals has been to bring this tournament to many areas of the country to help build awareness and support for the Evans Scholars Foundation,” said Dan Creed, vice president of marketing, BMW of North America. “We are pleased to bring professional golf back to a cathedral of golf in Denver after many years and expand the Evans Scholars Foundation to the broader Denver community.”

BMW has sponsored the championship since 2007 when the inaugural BMW Championship was held at Cog Hill Golf & Country Club in Lemont, IL. Cog Hill, the tournament’s host again this year, also hosted in 2009 and 2010.

“The BMW Championship plays an important role as the third of four events in the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup,” said Andy Pazder, PGA TOUR executive vice president and chief of operations. “Cherry Hills Country Club, with its world-class golf course and rich history, will be a great venue for the 2014 BMW Championship. We appreciate the enthusiasm the club, its members and staff have already shown for the tournament. Golf fans in the Denver area are among the best in the country, and we’re excited to partner with BMW, the Western Golf Association and Cherry Hills to bring the BMW Championship to the area in 2014.”