GOLF, Ill.– Ten high school caddies from the state of Oregon have been awarded the Evans Scholarship, a full, four-year housing and tuition college grant offered to golf caddies, following a final selection meeting held at Portland Golf Club in Portland, Oregon on March 1.
Each caddie (listed below) has a unique story to tell, reflecting the scholarship’s four selection criteria: a strong caddie record; excellent academics; demonstrated financial need; and outstanding character. They will begin college in the fall of 2017, with recipients awarded to either the University of Oregon in Eugene or the University of Washington in Seattle. The scholarship is valued at more than $100,000 over four years.
“Each of these deserving Evans Scholars epitomizes what our Program has been about since its creation in 1930,” said WGA Chairman David Robinson. “Their dedication, hard work and sacrifice is humbling, and we are honored to be able to help them pursue their dreams.”
The Oregon selection meeting was one of more than a dozen such meetings the Evans Scholars Foundation will hold across the country through the spring. When the 2016-17 selection meeting process is completed by April, an estimated 270 caddies are expected to be awarded the Evans Scholarship.
This year the OGA and its members donated more than $40,000 to the Evans Scholars Foundation (see photo to the right). Individual OGA Members contribute directly to the Chick Evans Caddie Scholarship with one dollar from each of their annual dues going to the scholarship foundation.
The Western Golf Association, headquartered in Golf, Illinois, has supported the Chick Evans Scholarship Program through the Evans Scholars Foundation since 1930. One of golf’s favorite charities, it is the nation’s largest scholarship program for caddies.
Currently, a record 935 caddies are enrolled in 20 universities across the nation as Evans Scholars, and more than 10,400 caddies have graduated as Evans Scholars since the program was founded by famed Chicago amateur golfer Charles “Chick” Evans Jr.
“Based on their excellence in the classroom and their service to their schools and communities, there is little doubt that these young men and women have worked hard to earn this life-changing opportunity,” said John Kaczkowski, WGA President and CEO. “We welcome them to the Evans Scholars family.”
Scholarship funds come mostly from contributions by 30,000 golfers across the country, who are members of the Evans Scholars Par Club program. Evans Scholars Alumni donate more than $10 million annually, and all proceeds from the BMW Championship, the third of four PGA TOUR Playoff events in the PGA TOUR’s FedExCup competition, are donated to the Evans Scholars Foundation.
To learn more about the WGA and ESF, visit wgaesf.org
|
Student Name |
Hometown |
Golf/Country Club |
High School |
Awarded University |
| Oliver Aguirre | Portland | Eastmoreland Golf Course | Cleveland HS | Oregon |
| Andrew Daniels | Canby | Sankaty Head Golf Club and Waverley Country Club | Molalla HS | Washington |
| Del DeAngelis | Mulino | Waverley Country Club | Molalla HS | Oregon |
| Kilian Jones | Portland | Riverside Golf & Country Club | Grant HS | Oregon |
| Madison Meyers | Happy Valley | Willamette Valley Country Club | Clackamas HS | Oregon |
| Nathan Midyette | North Bend | Bandon Dunes Golf Resort | North Bend HS | Oregon |
| Thomas Mitchell | North Bend | Bandon Dunes Golf Resort | North Bend HS | Oregon |
| Ashley Ros | Beaverton | Portland Golf Club | Beaverton HS | Oregon |
| Michelle Torres | Woodburn | OGA Golf Course | Wellness, Business and Sports School | Oregon |
| Kyle Whitty | Eugene | Shadow Hills Country Club | Sheldon HS | Oregon |
About Western Golf Association: Founded in 1899 to serve golfing interests in the growing Midwest, the WGA now has nearly 400 member clubs. The WGA conducts championships for professionals and amateur golfers, promotes the use of caddies and oversees the Evans Scholars Foundation (ESF), which awards college scholarships to caddies with limited financial means. The WGA is a driving force in the game, a respected charitable cause for thousands of supporters and a distinguished leader in the nation’s golf community. Its premier golf event is the BMW Championship, the second oldest tournament on the PGA TOUR. For more information about the WGA and ESF, please visit www.wgaesf.org.
About Evans Scholars Foundation: Established by famed amateur golfer Charles Chick Evans Jr., the Evans Scholars Foundation provides full housing and tuition scholarships to high-achieving caddies across the country. The Program, which is supported by the Western Golf Association, is funded by contributions from more than 30,000 Evans Scholars Par Club members, including Evans Scholars Alumni, as well as proceeds from the BMW Championship. Since the Program’s inception in 1930, more than 10,400 caddies nationwide have graduated as Evans Scholars.
The Chick Evans Scholarship is a full tuition and housing college scholarship for golf caddies. Click here for more information on the Evans Scholars Foundation