Student caddie from San Francisco area awarded Evans Scholarship

New Evans Scholar will begin school this fall

GLENVIEW, Ill. – A student caddie from Millbrae, California, has been awarded the Evans Scholarship — a full housing and tuition college grant offered to golf caddies — following a selection meeting interview on Tuesday, Dec. 21.

Dawson Loo will begin college this fall as an Evans Scholar. He’ll attend one of the Program’s 24 partner universities nationwide, with a decision on his awarded school to be finalized by March 15. The Evans Scholarship is valued at more than $125,000 over four years.

The Western Golf Association (WGA), 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.

To qualify for the Evans Scholarship, each student must meet the Program’s four selection criteria and show a strong caddie record, excellent academics, demonstrated financial need and outstanding character.

Currently, a record 1,130 caddies are enrolled at 24 universities as Evans Scholars, and more than 12,040 caddies have graduated as Evans Scholars since the Program was founded by famed Chicago amateur golfer Charles “Chick” Evans Jr. in 1930.

Loo, a senior at Design Tech High School in Redwood City, caddied at several golf clubs in the area to qualify for the Evans Scholarship.

“We are very proud of Dawson for earning the Evans Scholarship,” says Rick Gruber, a WGA Director in the San Francisco area. “We look forward to following his every success throughout college and hope his story will inspire more local students to take advantage of youth caddie opportunities.”

As the Evans Scholars Program continues to grow nationwide, more students from newer areas, including throughout California, are being introduced to the opportunity to caddie and potentially earn a full college scholarship.

“I couldn’t be more grateful to earn an Evans Scholarship,” Loo says. “Caddying has taught me so much about the importance of presenting myself and how to hold and maintain a relationship with others.”

Loo, who plans to study data science, was inspired to choose his major following conversations on the golf course.

“I learned more than just how to caddie, but also how to connect with members,” he says. “One member that I caddied for shared how he headed a team of data analysts at a tech company. It is my dream to be a part of the industry, and my connection with this member has reinforced my understanding of the field. Our interactions have grown my interest in data science and given me the confidence to secure a high school internship with a company, where I conducted research on autonomous vehicle trends and presented the data to the CEO.”

Selection meeting interviews for Evans Scholar finalists will continue nationwide through spring. When the 2023-24 selection meeting process is complete, an estimated 340 caddies from across the country are expected to be awarded the Evans Scholarship.

“We are thrilled to welcome Dawson to the Evans Scholars family,” said WGA Chairman Steve Colnitis. “His dedication in the classroom, on the golf course and in his community represents the best of what our Program has been about since 1930.”

Funds for the Scholarship come mostly from contributions by more than 36,000 golfers across the country, who belong to the Evans Scholars Par Club program. Evans Scholars Alumni donate more than $15 million annually, and all proceeds from the BMW Championship, the penultimate PGA TOUR Playoff event in the PGA TOUR’s FedExCup competition, benefit the Program. In 2024, the BMW Championship will be held from Aug. 20-25 at Castle Pines Golf Club in the Denver area.