Finalists interviewed at Waverley Country Club in Portland

PORTLAND – Two students from Oregon and two students from southwest Washington have been awarded the Evans Scholarship, a full housing and tuition college grant offered to golf caddies, to the University of Oregon in Eugene, following a final selection interview held at Waverley Country Club in Portland on Feb. 20.

Each caddie has a unique story, which reflects the scholarship’s four criteria: a strong caddie record; excellent academics; demonstrated financial need; and outstanding character. They’ll begin college this fall as Evans Scholars. The Evans Scholarship is valued at an estimated $120,000 over four years. Below is a complete list of recipients.

“These deserving young students epitomize 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 Portland 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 students all 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.

Below is a list of recipients.

Name

Sponsoring Golf Club

High School

Hometown

Coel Stark

Bandon Dunes Golf Resort

North Bend High School

North Bend, OR

Jasper Tadjiki

Bend Golf & Country Club

Bend Senior High School

Bend, OR

Kiana Coburn *

Waverley Country Club

Fort Vancouver HS Center for International Studies

Vancouver, WA

Anton Cole

Royal Oaks Country Club (WA)

Central Catholic HS

Vancouver, WA

 

*Graduated high school in 2019; awarded the ES for three years