The Western Open was first played in 1899 and at the time of its last playing in 2006, the Western Open was the 3rd-oldest active tournament on the PGA Tour schedule after the British Open and U.S. Open. The Western was played for many years in and out of the state of Illinois, before eventually settling down in the greater Chicago area itself, and has been contested since 1991 on the Dubsdread course, Cog Hill in the Chicago suburb of Lemont, Illinois. The Top 30 FedEx Cup points leaders following the BMW Championship advanced to The Tour Championship, and played in September 13-16 2007, where the FedEx Cup Champion was determined. The BMW Championship itself will go on a rotation of courses in the Upper Midwest, including Cog Hill, Crooked Stick Golf Club in Carmel, Indiana, and Bellerive Country Club in St. Louis, Missouri. Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minnesota was offered the opportunity to be the third site alternating with Cog Hill, but the club's membership declined.

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