Finalists interviewed at Cherry Hills Country Club in Cherry Hills Village, Colorado
GLENVIEW, IL – Thirteen students from the state of Colorado have been awarded the Evans Scholarship, a full housing and tuition college grant offered to golf caddies, following a final selection interview held at Cherry Hills Country Club in Cherry Hills Village, Colorado, on Jan. 28.
Each caddie has a unique story, which 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 2020 as Evans Scholars, with recipients awarded to the University of Colorado in Boulder. The Evans Scholarship is valued at an estimated $120,000 over four years. Winners are listed below.
“Each of these deserving Evans Scholars epitomizes what our Program has been about since its creation in 1930,” said WGA Chairman Kevin Buggy. “Their dedication, hard work and sacrifice is humbling, and we are honored to be able to help them pursue their dreams.”
The selection meeting in Colorado was 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 third of four PGA TOUR Playoff events in the PGA TOUR’s FedExCup competition, are donated to the Evans Scholars Foundation.
Listed below – and organized alphabetically by hometown - are the newly awarded recipients from the Colorado selection meeting.
Name |
Sponsoring Club |
High School |
Hometown |
William Kissinger |
Lakewood Country Club |
Arvada West HS |
Arvada |
Dakota Makinen |
Denver Country Club |
Denver School of the Arts |
Aurora |
Tucker Bruce |
Roaring Fork Club |
Basalt High School |
Basalt |
Tristan Johnston |
Roaring Fork Club |
Basalt High School |
Basalt |
*Natalia Garayoa |
Cherry Hills Country Club |
Mullen High School |
Centennial |
Giovanny Gordillo |
Cherry Hills Country Club |
Regis Jesuit HS |
Denver |
Ethan Perlstein |
Castle Pines Golf Club |
ThunderRidge HS |
Highlands Ranch |
*Alexander Granquist |
Columbine Country Club |
Lakewood HS |
Lakewood |
Fenton Dowling |
Meridian Golf Club |
Regis Jesuit HS |
Littleton |
Cerra Shattuck |
Boulder Country Club |
Skyline High School |
Longmont |
Logan Byler |
Castle Pines Golf Club |
Valor Christian HS |
Parker |
Autumn Henson |
Ballyneal Golf & Hunt Club |
Wray High School |
Wray |
Dane Srsen |
Ballyneal Golf & Hunt Club |
Wray High School |
Wray |
*Graduated from high school in 2019