January is a very important month for former caddies at golf clubs around Michigan. Every year the Evans Scholarship Foundation awards full housing and tuition college grants to deserving young men and women, who caddied at golf clubs that support the Evans Scholars Foundation.
Each caddie must undergo a stringent application process including an interview in front of a selection committee. These interviews are normally held in person, but due to COVID they have been held virtually for the past two years.
Every caddie has a unique story that reflects the scholarship’s four selection criteria: 
-strong caddie record
-excellent academics
-financial need
-outstanding character
“These young men and women are part of an exceptional incoming class of New Scholars from around the nation,” said WGA Chairman Joe Desch. “They represent what the Evans Scholars Program has been about since 1930.”
The winners for 2022, along with their location, home club, high school and university of choice are listed below.
| Name | City | Club | High School | University |
| Ahmed Hamadah* | Bloomfield Hills | Bloomfield Hills CC | Bloomfield Hills HS | U of Michigan |
| Nadir Mostafa* | Bloomfield Hills | Bloomfield Hills CC | Bloomfield Hills HS | U of Michigan |
| Kevin Biergans* | Charlotte | CC of Lansing | Lansing Catholic HS | Michigan State |
| Abigail Zahra | Commerce Twp | Orchard Lake CC | Walled Lake Central HS | U of Michigan |
| Treasure Gibson | Detroit | Evanston GC | Cass Technical HS | Michigan State |
| Myles Spencer-Walker | Detroit | CC of Detroit | Roseville HS | Michigan State |
| Sutton Wright* | Grosse Pointe | Lochmoor Club | Grosse Pointe South HS | U of Michigan |
| Joseph Plieth* | Grosse Pointe Woods | Lochmoor Club | Grosse Pointe North HS | Michigan State |
| Joseph Scherff | Keego Harbor | Pine Lake CC | West Bloomfield HS | Michigan State |
| Joseph Miller | Lake Orion | Bloomfield Hills CC | Lake Orion Community HS | U of Michigan |
| Anna Rimatzki | Livonia | Meadowbrook CC | Mercy HS | U of Michigan |
| Jonathan Bartley | Novi | Meadowbrook CC | Divine Child HS | Michigan State |
| William Combs | Okemos | CC of Lansing | Lansing Christian School | U of Michigan |
| Jacob Schornak | Petoskey | Wequetonsing GC | Petoskey HS | U of Michigan |
| Amarian Johnson | Pontiac | Franklin Hills CC | West Bloomfield HS | Michigan State |
| Trevor Navarre | Pontiac | Pine Lake CC | West Bloomfield HS | Michigan State |
| Harrison Bullotta | Rochester | Oakland Hills CC | Stoney Creek HS | U of Michigan |
| Gunner Bliss | Rochester Hills | Pine Lake CC | Avondale HS | Michigan State |
| Blake Griffith | Rochester Hills | Great Oaks CC | Stoney Creek HS | Michigan State |
| Bailey Kulich | Saint Joseph | Point O’ Woods CC | Saint Joseph HS | Michigan State |
| David Garner | Southfield | Oakland Hills CC | Bloomfield Hills HS | Michigan State |
| TaNylah Jenkins | Southfield | Evanston GC | Cass Technical HS | Michigan State |
| Ryan Larson | Spring Lake | Wuskowhan Club | Grand Haven HS | Michigan State |
| Jack Lewandowski | Troy | Red Run GC | Troy HS | Michigan State |
| Jeffrey Nugent | Warren | Red Run GC | Warren Woods Tower HS | Michigan State |
| Aidan Swenson | Waterford | Edgewood CC | Kettering HS | Michigan State |
| Daniel Wisely | West Bloomfield | Orchard Lake CC | West Bloomfield HS | U of Michigan |
| Madalynn Pelto | White Lake | Oakland Hills CC | Walled Lake Northern | U of Michigan |
*Awarded the Evans Scholarship for three years as they are currently a freshman in college.
Evans Scholars selection interviews are being held nationwide, when the process is complete, over 300 caddies will be awarded full-ride Evans Scholarships.
The Western Golf Association has supported the Chick Evans Scholarship Program, since 1930. Known as one of golf’s favorite charities, it is the nation’s largest scholarship program for caddies.
Currently, 1,070 caddies are enrolled at 21 universities across the nation in the Evans Scholars program. More than 11,500 caddies have graduated as Evans Scholars, since the program was founded by famed Chicago amateur golfer Charles “Chick” Evans Jr.
“These young students have each shown excellence in the classroom, in their communities and on the golf course,” said WGA President and CEO John Kaczkowski. “We are proud to welcome them to the Evans Scholars family.”
To learn more about the Western Golf Association and the Evans Scholarship Foundation, visit www.wgaesf.org.
