Evans Scholarship awarded to four Memphis caddies

New Evans Scholars will begin school this fall

GLENVIEW, Ill. — Four student caddies from Memphis Country Club in Memphis, Tennessee, have been awarded the Evans Scholarship — a full housing and tuition college grant offered to golf caddies — following a selection meeting interview held on Nov. 25.  

To qualify for the Evans Scholarship, students must meet the Program’s four selection criteria, demonstrating a strong caddie record, outstanding academics, proven financial need and exceptional 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. The Evans Scholarship is valued at more than $125,000 over four years.

Memphis natives Cord’ai Green, Kylan Johnson, Niya Johnson and Brayden Spann will begin college next fall as Evans Scholars. Green, a senior at Christian Brothers High School, plans to study business. Twins Kylan and Niya Johnson, seniors at Evangelical Christian School, will pursue architecture and a pre-dentistry track, respectively. Spann, who attends University High School, also intends to major in business.

They will enroll at one of the Evans Scholars Program’s 28 partner universities nationwide in the fall, with final school placements to be determined this spring.

“Cord’ai, Kylan, Niya and Brayden embody the dedication, perseverance and integrity that the Evans Scholars Program stands for and reveal the heart of our membership to help those who help themselves,” said Marshall Clark, a WGA Director and a member at Memphis Country Club. “We’re proud to welcome all four to the Evans Scholars family and look forward to the bright futures ahead of them.”

This year marks a significant achievement for Memphis Country Club’s revitalized youth caddie program, which was re-established in late 2021. Since then, the club has steadily produced a growing number of Evans Scholars, showcasing the impact of renewed support from members, staff and WGA leaders.

"Receiving the Evans Scholarship is a dream come true," said Cord’ai Green. "Caddying at Memphis Country Club has taught me the value of hard work, responsibility, and perseverance. I’m excited to carry these lessons with me into college."

Currently, a record 1,260 caddies are enrolled at 27 universities across the country as Evans Scholars. More than 12,575 caddies have graduated as Evans Scholars since the Program was founded by famed Chicago amateur golfer Charles “Chick” Evans Jr. in 1930.

Selection meeting interviews will continue nationwide through spring. By the end of the 2025-26 selection process, an estimated 380 caddies from across the country are expected to receive 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 96 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 43,500 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 2026, the BMW Championship will be held at Bellerive Country Club in St. Louis, Missouri, from Aug. 18-23.