Finalists interviewed at Oak Park Country Club in River Grove, Illinois
RIVER GROVE, 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 Oak Park Country Club in River Grove, Illinois, on Dec. 10.
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 Oak Park 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.
Name |
City |
Sponsoring Club |
High School Name |
Kathryn Costello |
Arlington Heights |
Rolling Green Country Club |
John Hersey High School |
Tyler McMillin |
Arlington Heights |
Rolling Green Country Club |
Prospect High School |
Patrick Archacki |
Chicago |
Ridgemoor Country Club |
Fenwick High School |
Franklin Fisher |
Chicago |
Oak Park Country Club |
St. Lawrence Seminary |
Destiny Lara |
Chicago |
Oak Park Country Club |
Northside College Prep |
Daniel Llamas |
Chicago |
Ridgemoor Country Club |
St. Patrick High School |
Jose Pantaleon |
Chicago |
Riverside Golf Club |
Cristo Rey Jesuit High School |
Elisabeth Paskali |
Chicago |
Oak Park Country Club |
St. Ignatius College Prep |
Moshay Turner |
Chicago |
River Forest Country Club |
Holy Trinity High School |
Guadalupe Vazquez |
Chicago |
La Grange Country Club |
De La Salle Institute |
Bronson Hultmark |
Darien |
La Grange Country Club |
Hinsdale South High School |
Evan Skarzynski |
Genoa |
Elgin Country Club |
Genoa-Kingston High School |
Cheyenne DeLong |
Maple Park |
Elgin Country Club |
Central High School |
Giovanni De La Torre |
Melrose Park |
River Forest Country Club |
West Leyden High School |
Brooklyn Kuhny |
Naperville |
Medinah Country Club |
Naperville North High School |
Maximilian Daley |
Oak Park |
Oak Park Country Club |
Fenwick High School |
Ronald Krewer |
River Grove |
Oak Park Country Club |
Saint Patrick High School |
Alex DeSimone |
Roselle |
Medinah Country Club |
Lake Park High School |
Matthew Steiner |
Roselle |
Medinah Country Club |
Lake Park High School |
Patrick Feldmeier |
Western Springs |
Chicago Highlands Club |
Fenwick High School |