The PGA swings into Chicago's South Suburbs

The PGA returns to greater Chicago this month for a huge tournament at Olympia Fields Country Club.

Why it matters: The BMW Championship will feature 50 of the world's top golfers, including Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm.

The intrigue: The tournament is back at Olympia Fields for the first time since 2020, when — due to the pandemic — golfers competed on the course without fans in attendance.

Context: The event has been taking place for over a century, under various names including the Western Amateur or the Western Open.

• It's produced by the Western Golf Association (WGA), located here.
• The WGA puts proceeds toward the Evans Scholarship, which sends caddies to college.

What they're saying: "We date back to 1899 with the championship, so coming back home is extremely important," WGA's Vince Pellegrino tells Axios. Pellegrino not only gives out the Evans scholarships, but he was a recipient when he was younger.

• "Caddying is the best summer job a kid can have," he says. "You learn to value hard work, and you learn how to communicate with successful people."

Zoom out: The Chicago area has several great golf courses that have hosted PGA previous events, including Medinah and Cog Hill in Lemont.

Yes, but: The Olympia Fields Country Club's "North Course" is considered one of the best in the country, beloved by professionals like Illinois' own Nick Hardy, who will be competing.

• "You can't really fake it around there," Hardy said about the course at a recent press conference. "You got to play really strong tee to green. I think it requires a great all-around game."

What's next: The BMW Championship takes place Aug. 17-20.