Gavin Carey will attend Penn State University
ROCHESTER, NY – A student from Rochester has been awarded the Evans Scholarship, a prestigious full housing and tuition college grant offered to golf caddies, following a final selection interview held at Union League Club in New York City on Feb. 11.
Gavin Carey caddied at Oak Hill Country Club and is a senior at McQuaid Jesuit High School. He’ll begin college this fall as an Evans Scholar at Penn State University. Evans Scholars are chosen based on showing a strong caddie record, excellent academics, financial need and outstanding character. The Evans Scholarship is valued at an estimated $120,000 over four years.
“Looking forward, life will be a learning curve and there will be steps forward along with setbacks,” he said. “Thankfully, I believe caddying has taught me a thing or two about learning curves and how to persevere and show resilience. I am so thankful for the opportunities that caddying has brought into my life, and I hope it can continue to change my life and my future for the better.”
The selection meeting in New York 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.
“Gavin certainly epitomizes what our Program has been about since its creation in 1930,” said WGA Chairman Kevin Buggy. “His dedication, hard work and sacrifice is humbling, and we are honored to be able to help him pursue his dreams.”
“Gavin is a perfect example of how caddying can change someone’s life in so many ways,” said WGA Director and Oak Hill club member Patrick M. Bailey. “As one of the first class of the Caddie and Leadership Academy at Oak Hill, he sets the bar for all future caddies in our program. We are proud he represents Oak Hill in such a positive way.”
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.
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.