Recognized for dedication to caddying and the Evans Scholarship
GLENVIEW, Ill. – Father John Cusick of Chicago, Illinois, was honored for his dedication to youth caddying and the Evans Scholarship during the Western Golf Association’s (WGA) Annual Meeting, held Monday, July 10, at Olympia Fields Country Club in Olympia Fields, Illinois.
The award was established in 2023 in recognition of individuals who have dedicated significant time and effort to supporting youth caddies, Evans Scholars and the WGA, which conducts championships for professional and amateur golfers, promotes the use of caddies and oversees the Evans Scholars Foundation, which awards college scholarships to caddies with limited financial means.
As a young man, Cusick was a caddie and assistant caddie manager at The Beverly Country Club in Chicago, Illinois, under Eddie Barr, who was credited for laying the foundation for a caddie program that has produced hundreds of Evans Scholars. Cusick went on to attend seminary and was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Chicago in 1970, and he served most of his ministry at Old St. Patrick’s Church.
During his ministry, he incorporated the life lessons he learned as a caddie into his sermons and has been a lifelong promoter of youth caddying and the Evans Scholarship, encouraging and advocating for countless youth caddies over the years.
“We are honored to recognize Father Cusick’s tremendous, longtime support of our mission to send caddies to college,” said WGA Chairman Joe Desch. “His commitment to young people and his dedication to sharing the importance of caddying in the game of golf is gratefully acknowledged.”
Cusick says, “The best education I got wasn’t in a classroom. It was as a caddie at Beverly, where I learned two things – self-worth and honesty. I am humbled to receive this award and am grateful for this organization’s work. I promote the Evans Scholarship every time I get a chance, because it gives young people the chance at possibilities of which they never may have dreamt.”