Two Rochester-area student caddies earn full college scholarships

Both Evans Scholars caddied at Oak Hill Country Club

GLENVIEW, Ill. – Two Rochester-area student caddies have been awarded the Evans Scholarship – a prestigious full housing and tuition grant offered to golf caddies – following a selection interview held Dec. 19.

Melachi Finley and Hunter Weigel, both seniors at McQuaid Jesuit High School in Rochester who caddied at Oak Hill Country Club, will begin college in the fall of 2025 as Evans Scholars, with their awarded universities to be announced this spring. The Evans Scholarship is valued at more than $125,000 over four years.

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.

The Western Golf Association (WGA), headquartered in Glenview, Illinois, oversees the Evans Scholars Program. Recently recognized as the Scholarship Provider of the Year by the National Scholarship Providers Association, the Evans Scholars Foundation (ESF) is one of golf’s favorite charities and the nation’s largest scholarship program for caddies.

Finley, of Rochester, grew up the youngest of seven children. As a first-generation college student, he plans to study biology on the pre-med track. “Caddying introduced me to extraordinary people who drive me to be successful in my personal life, athletic career and my academic endeavors,” he says. “I’ve learned that mistakes and obstacles are meant to be lessons.”

Weigel, of Webster, plans to study finance in college. “I stumbled upon caddying as a summer job opportunity at a tough point in my life – it felt like an escape,” he says. “It turned out that the skills I learned caddying helped me become better at my job, and a better student, friend and leader. Caddying taught me that my passion for golf translates well into a career in business.”

Both Finley and Weigel are part of Oak Hill Country Club’s Caddie and Leadership Academy, which was founded by Patrick M. Bailey, who serves as a WGA Director and is an Evans Scholar Alum. 

“Melachi and Hunter have fully embraced the Caddie and Leadership Academy at Oak Hill Country Club, making the most of its opportunities for growth and development, both on and off the course,” Bailey shares. “Their dedication and leadership have set an inspiring example for others. Our membership is thrilled to celebrate their well-deserved earning of this life-changing scholarship. As a proud Alum, I am eager to see how their leadership skills and work ethic propel them toward success in college and beyond.”

Currently, a record 1,190 caddies are enrolled at 24 universities across the country as Evans Scholars – including four from Oak Hill Country Club. 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.

Evans Scholar selection meeting interviews will continue nationwide through the winter. 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.

“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 Melachi and Hunter to the Evans Scholars family.”

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.