Two Omaha caddies awarded full college scholarships

New Scholars will begin school next fall

GLENVIEW, Ill. – Two student caddies from Omaha Country Club in Omaha, Nebraska, have been awarded the Evans Scholarship — a full housing and tuition college grant offered to golf caddies — following a selection meeting interview on Dec. 13.

Ryan Knapp, of Elkhorn, and Zeven Sanders, of Omaha, will begin college this fall as Evans Scholars. They will attend one of the Program’s 24 partner universities nationwide, with awarded universities to be finalized this spring. The Evans Scholarship is valued at more than $125,000 over four years.

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

The Western Golf Association (WGA), headquartered in Glenview, Illinois, oversees the Evans Scholars Program, one of golf’s favorite charities and the nation’s largest scholarship program for caddies.

“Since our founding, our Program has changed the lives of caddies who have proven their dedication in the classroom, on the golf course and in their communities,” said WGA Chairman Steve Colnitis. “We are proud to welcome Ryan and Zeven to the Evans Scholars family.”

Currently, a record 1,190 caddies are enrolled at 24 universities across the country as Evans Scholars. More than 12,285 caddies have graduated as Evans Scholars since the Program was founded by famed Chicago amateur golfer Charles “Chick” Evans Jr. in 1930.

Knapp, a senior at Elkhorn South High School, and Sanders, a senior at Millard West High School, are the first youth caddies from Omaha Country Club in recent history to earn the Evans Scholarship.

Dominick Mitchum, the head golf professional at Omaha Country Club, has helped grow the youth caddie program over the last decade.  "Ryan and Zeven, two remarkable caddies, have proven that hard work, dedication, and a love for the game can open doors to new opportunities,” Mitchum says. “Their achievement of receiving the Evans Scholarship is a testament to their perseverance and commitment, both on and off the course. Their success is not just a personal victory, but an inspiration to others that with determination, they can do anything."

Prior to this year, four caddies from Omaha Country Club had been awarded the Evans Scholarship from the 1950s through the 1970s. As the Evans Scholars Program continues to grow nationwide, more students from newer areas, including in Nebraska, are being introduced to the opportunity to caddie and potentially earn a full college scholarship.

Knapp, who plans to study finance, hopes to become a financial advisor. He has more than 100 loops as a caddie at Omaha Country Club. “Caddying at a young age has created endless thoughts on how I can work to be like these men and women that I caddie for,” he says.

Sanders, who plans to major in psychology, was inspired by the careers of members to choose his area of study. “When I’m caddying, I have the great opportunity to ask my golfer how they got to where they are,” he says. “One of my favorites members is a pediatric psychiatrist. He told me how he loves his job because it allows him to help others.”

“You get from what caddying what you put into it,” he continues. “From it, I’ve been able to get a clearer picture of what I want for my future.”

Evans Scholar selection meeting interviews will continue nationwide through spring. When the 2024-25 selection meeting process is complete, an estimated 360 caddies from across the country are expected to be awarded the Evans Scholarship.

Evans Scholars have a cumulative GPA of 3.3 and a 98 percent graduation rate. An estimated 40 percent are first-generation college students, and 95 percent are employed or enrolled in graduate school within six months of graduating.

Funds for the Evans Scholarship come mostly from contributions by more than 36,000 supporters across the country, who are members of 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 Evans Scholars Foundation. In 2025, the BMW Championship will be held at Caves Valley Golf Club near Baltimore, Maryland, from Aug. 12-17.