Over the past week, the golf world’s eyes fell squarely on Maryland.
The PGA Tour’s BMW Championship at Caves Valley transformed Baltimore County into the sport’s epicenter, and the results were undeniable. The course dazzled (and overcame a pounding thunderstorm), the crowds arrived in waves and the atmosphere proved that the state deserves to host more professional golf.
Caves Valley, with its renovated course and grounds that feature reworked holes, ripped-up greens and a 10-mile drainage system, showed it permanently belongs in the conversation. This weekend revealed that the infrastructure, rising fan base and regional passion all exist for Maryland to become a regular stop on the pro circuit.
The galleries told the story.
From the Gardner Heidrick pro-am round through the final putts between winner Scottie Scheffler and runner-up Robert MacIntyre on championship Sunday, fans packed the fairways and grandstands, helping create contagious levels of energy. This was not just your traditional “polite” applause, either.
The Scotsman MacIntyre, 29, enjoyed “giving crap back” during his back-and-forth with American fans, who showed up in favor of the World’s No. 1-ranked golfer Scheffler. Moments before MacIntyre and Scheffler embarked on the final round, Gov. Wes Moore joined them for a photo op, and the duo teed off in front of an eager group that braved high humidity and 90-degree weather.
Maryland native Denny McCarthy finished 3-over but made his fourth consecutive start at the BMW Championship, citing his pride in his roots and the state’s golf scene.
Akshay Bhatia, 23, will be long remembered for sinking a hole-in-one with his five iron on the 17th hole, a 227-yard par-3. Bhatia’s ace served as an electric moment that won him a new BMW, an iX M70 SUV, and also provided a full four-year Evans Scholarship in his name to a young caddie.
The course itself also proved its worth.
Tucked in the Northwest suburbs of Baltimore, a new-look Caves Valley welcomed the sport’s top 49 players and thousands of spectators, including local sports icons such as former Ravens offensive lineman and Pro Football Hall of Famer Jonathan Ogden and 23-time Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps. The Tom Fazio-designed course showcased Maryland’s rolling hills, gorgeous skies and tree-lined beauty, while its renovated greens withstood a pounding from Thursday’s thunderstorm that forced a lengthy delay.
Ahead of tournament week, several Ravens, including Kyle Van Noy and Kyle Hamilton, hit the course at Caves Valley and offered BMW Championship participants their own tips on how to navigate the course’s landscaping. In return, several golfers made stops at the Ravens’ Under Armour Performance Center and Camden Yards, showing the PGA Tour’s support for Baltimore’s pro teams.
Perhaps the most pertinent factor: The local economy boomed thanks to the PGA Tour’s stop in Owings Mills. Surrounding hotels sold out, restaurants packed and local businesses thrived. Baltimore County and state officials estimate the BMW Championship would generate up to $60 million in economic impact to Maryland, a noticeable expected increase from the $53 million generated during the PGA Tour’s visit in 2021.
In an era in which the PGA Tour continues to compete with its rival LIV Golf, tapping again and again into an eager Maryland market seems like a no-brainer.
Maryland and Baltimore, in particular, are places that know how to rally around their teams. While golf is primarily viewed as an individual sport, local fans have proven they tend to show up for big sporting events, and that was no different this weekend at Caves Valley.
More consistent opportunities to highlight golf interest in Maryland would not only bolster the area’s reputation surrounding the sport but also help inspire the next generation of golfers from the state and the Mid-Atlantic. In addition to Bhatia’s ace that sparked a four-year scholarship in his name, the BMW Championship created 38 full-ride scholarships for young caddies to attend University of Maryland.
Maryland has always had the courses and pedigree for top-tier golf. Congressional Country Club has twice hosted the U.S. Open and several other prestigious events, including Tiger Woods’ tournament. Baltimore Country Club has previously hosted major tournaments. Bulle Rock and Woodmont Country Club have hosted LPGA events and U.S. Open qualifying rounds, while TPC Potomac at Avenel Farm was formerly a regular stop on the PGA Tour.
The PGA Tour is missing out by not making this region a regular part of its calendar.
When Scheffler sank arguably one of the toughest shots in his career, a chip-in birdie on the 17th on Sunday to give him a two-shot lead ahead of the final lap, the roar of approval from the overflowing crowd rippled throughout the 962-acre facility. “U-S-A!” chants broke out as Scheffler stepped toward the final hole. Each Scheffler step was trailed by nonstop applause.
Those roars, generated at Maryland’s own Caves Valley Golf Club, should not fade into memory.
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