Finalists interviewed at Olympia Fields Country Club in Illinois

GLENVIEW, IL – Twenty Chicago-area students have been awarded the Evans Scholarship, a full housing and tuition college grant offered to golf caddies, following a final selection interview held at Olympia Fields Country Club in Olympia Fields, Illinois, on Nov. 20.

Each caddie has a unique story to tell, reflecting 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 2020 as Evans Scholars, with awarded universities to be finalized this spring. The Evans Scholarship is valued at an estimated $120,000 over four years. Winners are listed below and are organized by hometown.

“Each of these deserving Evans Scholars epitomizes what our Program has been about since its creation in 1930,” said WGA Chairman Frank Morley. “Their dedication, hard work and sacrifice is humbling, and we are honored to be able to help them pursue their dreams.”

The selection meeting at Olympia Fields Country Club is one of more than 20 such meetings the Evans Scholars Foundation will hold across the country through the spring. When the 2019-20 selection meeting process is completed by April, an estimated 285 caddies are expected to be awarded the Evans Scholarship.

The Western Golf Association, headquartered in Glenview, Illinois, has supported the Chick Evans Scholarship Program through the Evans Scholars Foundation since 1930. One of golf’s favorite charities, it is the nation’s largest scholarship program for caddies.

Currently, a record 1,010 caddies are enrolled in 18 universities across the nation as Evans Scholars, and more than 11,050 caddies have graduated as Evans Scholars since the program was founded by famed Chicago amateur golfer Charles “Chick” Evans Jr.

“These young men and women have shown excellence in the classroom and in their communities, as well as on the golf course,” said John Kaczkowski, WGA President and CEO. “We welcome them to the Evans Scholars family.”

Scholarship funds come mostly from contributions by 32,500 golfers across the country, who are members of the Evans Scholars Par Club program. Evans Scholars Alumni donate more than $14 million annually, and all proceeds from the BMW Championship, the penultimate PGA TOUR Playoff event in the PGA TOUR’s FedExCup competition, are donated to the Evans Scholars Foundation. In 2020, the BMW Championship will be held at Olympia Fields Country Club from Aug. 20-23.

Recipient

City

High School

Sponsoring Club

Aaliyah Taylor

Chicago

Whitney M. Young High School

Beverly Country Club

Elijah Williams

Chicago

St. Ignatius College Prep

Sankaty Head Golf Club (MA)

Julianna Maberry

Chicago

La Lumiere

Beverly Country Club

Kathryn Alvarez

Chicago

Mother McAuley High School

Ridge Country Club

Mario Rodriguez

Chicago

Cuver Academies

Sankaty Head Golf Club (MA)

Miguel Cisneros

Chicago

St. Ignatius College Prep

Sankaty Head Golf Club (MA)

Quinn Kelly

Chicago

Marist High School

Crystal Tree Golf & Country Club

Ryan Kopale

Chicago

Brother Rice High School

Ridge Country Club

Jack Roberts

Crystal Lake

Crystal Lake South High School

Crystal Lake Country Club

Peter Pierropoulos

Darien

Downers Grove South

Ruth Lake Country Club

Kayode Adebogun

Dolton

Thornton Township High School

Olympia Fields Country Club

Regan Toole

Elmhurst

York Community High School

Hinsdale Golf Club

Jonathan Kriarakis

Flossmoor

Homewood-Flossmoor High School

Flossmoor Country Club

John (Jack) Ruddy

Homer Glen

Providence Catholic High School

Edgewood Valley Country Club

Gianna Patenaude

Lake In The Hills

Crystal Lake South High School

Crystal Lake Country Club

Jaden Soroka

Mokena

Lincoln-Way Central High School

Prestwick Country Club

Andrew Smith

Oak Forest

Oak Forest High School

Midlothian Country Club

John Cooke

Oak Forest

Oak Forest High School

Midlothian Country Club

Andrew Wilber

Plainfield

Plainfield South High School

White Eagle Golf Club

Brogan Pivnicka

Woodstock

Marian Central Catholic High School

Bull Valley Golf Club