William Pluta will begin school as an Evans Scholar this fall
GLENVIEW, Ill. – A student from the Rockford area has been awarded the Evans Scholarship, a full tuition and housing college grant offered to golf caddies, following a selection meeting interview held Feb. 17.
William Pluta of Machesney Park, Illinois, caddied at Rockford Country Club and will begin college this fall as an Evans Scholar. He’ll attend one of the program’s 28 partner universities nationwide, with his school to be finalized later this spring.
The Evans Scholarship is valued at more than $125,000 over four years. Pluta, who currently is a freshman at Rock Valley Community College in Rockford, has been awarded the Evans Scholarship for three years.
To qualify for the Evans Scholarship, students must meet the Program’s four selection criteria and show a strong caddie record, excellent academics, demonstrated financial need and outstanding character.
The Western Golf Association (WGA), headquartered in Glenview Illinois, has supported the Chick Evans Scholarship Program through the Evans Scholars Foundation (ESF) since 1930. Known as one of golf’s favorite charities, it is the nation’s largest scholarship program for caddies.
“We are excited to welcome William to the Evans Scholars family,” said Jay Pick, a WGA Director and member at Rockford Country Club. “His dedication to caddying, academics and service reflect the values shared by Evans Scholars nationwide.”
Pluta plans to pursue a degree in physical therapy, inspired by his own experiences with sports injuries and recovery. “Caddying showed me how small acts of attentiveness and service can make a meaningful difference for others,” he said. “It strengthened my work ethic and inspired me to pursue a career focused on building relationships and helping people.”
Currently, a record 1,260 caddies are enrolled at 27 universities nationwide as Evans Scholars. More than 12,575 caddies have graduated as Evans Scholars since the Program was founded in 1930 by famed Chicago amateur golfer Charles “Chick” Evans Jr.
Selection meeting interviews will continue nationwide through the 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.