The Evans Scholarship program for former golf caddies began in 1916 when Chick Evans won the U.S. Open Championship and could not accept the prize money, because he was an amateur.
Although Evans, a former caddie, was one of the best golfers of his time, he was forced to drop out of college because his family did not have enough money for him to complete his education. Not wanting to lose the prize money from the 1916 U.S. Open, his mother offered a solution. She encouraged her son to start the Evans Scholarship Foundation, that could accept the prize money and allow him to maintain his amateur status. The foundation would then use those funds to provide full-ride scholarships to former caddies.
In 1928, Chick Evans persuaded the Western Golf Association (WGA) to oversee the Evans Scholarship Foundation and the first full-ride scholarships were awarded to two Chicago caddies, Harold Fink and Jim McGinnis, who attended Northwestern University. The foundation has continued to grow and 94 years later, they provide complete college tuition and housing to 1,190 students from 30 states, who attend one of 27 universities around the country.
The numbers are astounding. Since the beginning, a total of 12, 575 former caddies have received an Evans Scholarship. The current value for a four-year education at an accredited university is over $125,000 and the foundation annually spends $41 million to pay for tuition, room and board for nearly 1,200 students currently enrolled.
Many of the students who have received an Evans Scholarship and gone on to successful careers annually donate to the Evans Scholarship Foundation and last year Evans Alumni contributed more than $29 million.
Students selected to receive the Evans Scholarship are selected on the basis of strong caddie record, excellent grades, outstanding character and financial need.
Another way to earn an Evans Scholarship it to complete the three-summer WGA Caddie Academy program. More than 175 Caddie Academy graduates have been awarded the Evans Scholarship. To learn more about the WGA Caddie Academy program click HERE.
Once in college, Evans Scholars maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.3, plus they boast a 98 percent graduation rate. Upon graduation, 95 percent find employment, or enroll in graduate school, within six months.
Each student has a unique story to tell and here are a couple that we can share with you.
Sophia Perry from Indianapolis didn’t know much about golf when she stepped on the course as a young caddie at Highland Golf & Country Club. When she learned about the Evans Scholarship, she became determined to caddie her way to college.
She quickly learned that being a golf caddie isn’t an easy task. The job requires waking up before 6 a.m. and lugging a 40-pound golf bag around a hilly golf course in the summer heat.
Sophia was motivated to relieve her family from the financial burden of paying for college and achieve her dream of becoming a doctor. Over three years, she completed 110 loops, volunteered for several worthwhile programs, and maintained a 4.0 GPA.
She realized her dream and was one of 19 caddies from Indiana to earn an Evans Scholarship and will attend Indiana University.
Luke Fisher, from Detroit, is one of 36 caddies in Michigan to receive the Evans Scholarship. Initially challenged by the physical demands of the job, Luke soon realized that an even greater challenge was learning to socialize with adults for four hours on a golf course. He was homeschooled in a large family and had limited exposure to social interaction.
Caddying helped him develop communication skills, discipline, and confidence, which eased his transition into public high school. He used these new-found skills to actively participate in leadership roles, service initiatives, and academic challenges. He served as president of six clubs, led religious retreats, engaged in community service, and maintained a 4.0 GPA while taking Advanced Placement classes and college courses.
Luke will start his freshman year at the University of Notre Dame this fall.
Chris Pacheco Posadas, from Columbus, Ohio, attributes his drive to fulfilling his parents’ dreams of witnessing their son attend college. He learned from their work ethic and expires to set a good example for his younger siblings.
Throughout high school, Chris continued to caddie and maintained a 4.0 GPA. He also participated in sports, did volunteer work and completed internships to earn his Evans Scholarship.
He plans to study engineering at the University of Notre Dame.
The Evans Scholarship Foundation also receives the proceeds from the BMW Championship, the penultimate event in the PGA TOUR’s FedEx Cup Playoffs. The balance of the funding needed is received from alumni donations and from over 36,000 individuals that generously contribute to the foundation.
If you would like to help support this worthy endeavor and help exceptional young people realize their dream of a college education, click HERE.
