Nick Heiler to begin college as an Evans Scholar this fall

Glenview, Ill. – A student from Farmington, New York, has been awarded the Evans Scholarship, a prestigious full housing and tuition grant offered to golf caddies, following an online selection interview held Dec. 21.

Nick Heiler will begin college this fall as an Evans Scholar at a partner university, where he plans to study sports management. He currently is a senior at McQuaid Jesuit High School and caddies at Oak Hill Country Club.

Evans Scholars are chosen based on showing a strong caddie record, excellent academics, financial need and outstanding character. The Evans Scholarship is valued at more than $120,000 over four years.

“Caddying provided me the incredible opportunity of being able to continue attending the school I loved, while also getting to work with some great recreational and professional athletes,” Heiler says. “Working here has helped open my eyes to the role caddying can play in helping me achieve my dream of receiving a college education.”

“Nick certainly epitomizes what our Program has been about since its creation in 1930,” said WGA Chairman Joe Desch. “His dedication, hard work and sacrifice is humbling, and we are honored to be able to help him pursue his dreams.”

“Nick is a perfect example of how caddying can change someone’s life in so many ways,” said WGA Director and Founder of the Caddie and Leadership Acaemy, Patrick M. Bailey. “Nick follows his brother Greg as the fourth Evans Scholar to come out of the Caddie and Leadership Academy from Oak Hill Country Club.  I founded the Academy as a way of helping young men and women get introduced to caddying and the life lessons it provides.  Nick helps to set the bar for all future caddies in our program. We are proud he represents Oak Hill in such a positive way.”

The Evans Scholars selection interviews will continue to be held with applicants nationwide through spring. When the 2021-22 selection meeting process is complete, an estimated 315 caddies across the country are expected to be awarded the Evans Scholarship.

The Western Golf Association, headquartered in Glenview, Illinois, has supported the Chick Evans Scholarship Program through the Evans Scholars Foundation since 1930. Known as one of golf’s favorite charities, it is the nation’s largest scholarship program for caddies.

Currently, a record 1,070 caddies are enrolled at 21 universities across the nation as Evans Scholars, and 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.”

Scholarship funds come mostly from contributions by nearly 35,000 supporters across the country, who are members of the Evans Scholars Par Club program. Evans Scholars Alumni donate more than $17 million annually, and all proceeds from the BMW Championship, the penultimate PGA TOUR Playoff event in the PGA TOUR’s FedExCup competition, are donated to the Evans Scholars Foundation. In 2022, the BMW Championship will be held at Wilmington Country Club in Wilmington, Delaware, from Aug. 16-21.