Three student caddies from Alabama awarded full college scholarships

WGA Caddie Academy graduates will begin school as Evans Scholars this fall

GLENVIEW, Ill. – Three student caddies from the Birmingham area have been awarded the Evans Scholarship — a full housing and tuition college grant offered to golf caddies — following a selection meeting interview on Jan. 27.

Johanna Curry of Center Point, and Jordin Williams and Ja’Kari Bell-Perry, both of Birmingham, will begin college this fall as Evans Scholars.  They will enroll at one of the program’s 28 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, students must meet the Program’s four selection criteria, demonstrating a strong caddie record, outstanding academics, financial need and exceptional character.

All three recipients are graduates of the WGA Caddie Academy, a summer program that provides caddie opportunities and college preparation for high-achieving high school students.

With chapters in Chicago, Columbus, Minneapolis, Seattle and Washington, D.C., the Caddie Academy includes work opportunities, test preparation, field trips and guest speakers. Since 2015, more than 210 Caddie Academy graduates have earned the Evans Scholarship.

The Alabama winners – among the first youth caddies from the state to become Evans Scholars – all participated in the Chicago chapter.

Curry, a senior at John Carroll Catholic High School in Birmingham, caddied at Westmoreland Country Club in Wilmette. Williams, a senior at Shades Valley High School in Irondale, also caddied at Westmoreland. Bell-Perry, a senior at Cornerstone Schools of Alabama in Birmingham, caddied at Old Elm Club in Highland Park, Illinois.

“These students exemplify what the WGA Caddie Academy is designed to accomplish, by preparing motivated young people for success both on the golf course and in the classroom,” said Andrew Langan, WGA Chairman. “Their achievements reflect the power of opportunity, mentorship and hard work.”

For Bell-Perry, the scholarship represents the culmination of years of dedication on the golf course and in the classroom. “Caddying taught me how to work hard, communicate and stay focused on my goals,” he said. “Receiving the Evans Scholarship means everything to me and my family, and I’m grateful for everyone who believed in me along the way.”

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.

Evans Scholar selection meeting interviews will continue nationwide through spring. When the 2025-26 selection meeting process is complete, an estimated 380 caddies from across the country are expected to be awarded 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.