Big news for the second-to-last PGA Tour playoff event according to the Chicago Tribune’s Teddy Greenstein: a change in leadership at BMW appears to have restored the automaker’s desire to sponsor the event, a $15 to 18 million-a-year investment.

Greenstein says it’ll likely be a three-year deal with the prospect of moving around the country more in the coming years, with a fantastic venue in mind and one that is less exciting.

Sources told the Tribune on Tuesday that BMW will renew as the title sponsor of the annual FedEx Cup playoff event, starting with next year’s event at south suburban Olympia Fields. It will be a three-year deal with potential destinations at clubs such as Cherry Hills in Colorado and Caves Valley in Maryland.

All of this came together as WGA officials prepared for their signature event.

Better late than never!

Here’s where I scratch my head: since the old Western Open as we know it is gone and the Chicago district is not guaranteed to host, why not actively pursue west coast venues that put this event in east coast prime time in August, virtually guarantees another 500k-1 million viewers and creates greater interest? Oh, and is played in nice temperatures with no chance of thunderstorms?

People buy Beemers out west, too. Just saying!