Full college scholarships awarded to 23 Ohio caddies

New Scholars will begin school this fall

GLENVIEW, Ill. – Twenty-three youth caddies from the state of Ohio have been awarded the Evans Scholarship — a full housing and tuition college grant offered to golf caddies — following selection meeting interviews held at Canterbury Golf Club in Beachwood, Ohio, on Jan. 9 and held virtually on Jan. 28.

Each caddie has a unique story that reflects the scholarship’s four selection criteria: a strong caddie record, excellent academics, demonstrated financial need and outstanding character.

They will begin college in the fall of 2025 as Evans Scholars, with awarded universities to be finalized this spring. Most are expected to attend Miami University in Oxford or The Ohio State University in Columbus. The Evans Scholarship is valued at more than $125,000 over four years. Those awarded are listed below.

The Western Golf Association (WGA), headquartered in Glenview, Ill., 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.

Currently, a record 1,190 caddies are enrolled at 24 universities across the country as Evans Scholars – including 77 at Miami University and 65 at The Ohio State University. 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.

“It is incredible to witness such an amazing and inspiring group of young people share their academic, caddie and life journeys,” said Joe Murray, WGA Director and Ohio State Chair. “As impressive as they are now, we can’t wait to see what they go on to achieve as Evans Scholars.”

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.

One of the newly awarded Evans Scholars, Bianca York, participated in the WGA Caddie Academy Ohio chapter – a special summer program run by the WGA that provides caddie opportunities to promising high school students. Participants caddie at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio, and Scioto Country Club in Arlington, Ohio.

With seven branches nationwide, the Caddie Academy program offers students a chance to work each day, earn money, meet role models and learn valuable life lessons on the golf course. After three summers, participants become eligible to apply for the Evans Scholarship. Since 2012, more than 150 graduates of the WGA Caddie Academy have been awarded an 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.

“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 this exceptional group to the Evans Scholars family.”

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, Md., from Aug. 12-17.

Below is a full list of recent winners with awarded universities to be finalized by spring.

*WGA Caddie Academy participant