Andrew Manna to begin college as an Evans Scholar this fall

Glenview, Ill. – A student from Williamsville, 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.

Andrew Manna will begin college this fall at an Evans Scholar at a partner university, where he plans to study industrial engineering. He currently is a senior at Williamsville South High School and caddies at Country Club of Buffalo.

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.

“I started caddying at the age of 13, with my brother as my mentor,” Manna says. “Navigating caddie season throughout the pandemic has been a challenge – it even meant I had to change clubs. But I’m thankful to have made new friends and formed new relationships with the members at Country Club of Buffalo.”

“Andrew 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.”

The Evans Scholars selection interviews will continue to be held with applicants nationwide through the 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.