Full college scholarships awarded to four Sankaty Head caddies

Evans Scholars will begin school this fall

GLENVIEW, Ill. – Four caddies from Sankaty Head Golf Club in Nantucket, Massachusetts, have been awarded the Evans Scholarship, a full housing and tuition college grant offered to golf caddies, leaders have announced.

The recipients will begin college next fall as Evans Scholars, enrolling at one of the 28 Evans Scholars Program’s partner universities nationwide, with final school placements to be determined this spring. The Evans Scholarship is valued at more than $125,000 over four years.

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

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.

This year’s recipients –  Levi Davis, Luke Ekkens, Joseph Richardson and Shalom Mathewos –  participated for multiple summers in the Sankaty Head Caddie Program.

Operated since 1930 at Sankaty Head Golf Club, the caddie program is supported by the Sankaty Head Foundation and is home each summer to approximately 60 caddies and staff members, in which caddies work daily for club members while developing leadership skills, discipline and a strong work ethic. Many participants go on to earn college scholarships, including the Evans Scholarship, with 15 current Evans Scholars currently enrolled in college who caddied at Sankaty Head Golf Club.

 “We are proud to see four of our caddies earn the Evans Scholarship,” said Dave Hinman, director of the Sankaty Head Caddie Program. “Their commitment to the program and to their own development reflects the values we strive to instill, and we are excited to see what they accomplish in college and beyond.”

Levi Davis, of Hudsonville, Michigan, is a senior at Hudsonville High School and discovered caddying as a way to stay active and challenge himself, ultimately spending the past two summers at Sankaty Head. In college, he plans to study biomedical engineering on a pre-medicine track.

“Caddying taught me the importance of patience, positivity and hard work,” he says. “The structured environment at Sankaty Head pushed me to grow, both on the course and off, and helped prepare me for the academic and personal challenges ahead.”

Luke Ekkens, of Ada, Michigan, is a senior at Grand Rapids Christian High School and has spent the past four summers caddying at Sankaty Head, completing more than 200 loops. In college, he plans to study mechanical engineering.

“Caddying showed me that growth comes from showing up every day and embracing challenges, even when they are uncomfortable,” he says. “The environment at Sankaty and the responsibility that comes with the job helped shape who I am and gave me confidence as I prepare for the next chapter of my life.”

Joseph Richardson, of Mint Hill, North Carolina, is a senior at Queens Grant High School who was drawn to caddying through his interest in the strategic side of golf. In college, he plans to study accounting.

“Being a caddie showed me that success is built on preparation, attention to detail and consistency,” he says. “Learning how to plan, communicate and adapt on the course helped shape the way I approach academics and my future goals.”

Shalom Mathewos, of Aurora, Colorado, is a senior at Grandview High School who began caddying with limited exposure to the game and quickly found a sense of belonging through the work. In college, he plans to study electrical engineering.

“Caddying taught me how to adapt, work hard and take responsibility, even in situations that pushed me outside my comfort zone,” Mathewos said. “At Sankaty Head, I found encouragement, accountability and a community that motivated me to keep growing, both academically and personally.”

Currently, a record 1,260 caddies are enrolled at 27 universities across the country as Evans Scholars, including 15 from Sankaty Head. 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.