Seminole Golf Club caddie awarded full college scholarship

Will begin college this fall as an Evans Scholar

GLENVIEW, Ill. – A student from Riviera Beach, Florida, has been awarded the Evans Scholarship, a prestigious full housing and tuition college grant offered to golf caddies.

Harrison Hutchings, a senior at Palm Beach Gardens High School, caddied at Seminole Golf Club in Juno Beach, Florida. The club’s first caddie to earn the Evans Scholarship, he will begin college this fall as an Evans Scholar at the University of Michigan.

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. Harrison is one of 300 caddies across the country who were awarded the Evans Scholarship.

“Wishing to do something and having the resources to accomplish it are two different things,” said Harrison, who wants to become a doctor. “Until the Chick Evans Scholarship, I was unsure where those resources to achieve those goals might come from. This opportunity will ultimately change my life.”

Several years ago, Seminole club member John Hand helped establish a youth caddie program at his club. Hand used to caddie himself as a young person and knows firsthand how the experience can be life-changing. Now a WGA Director, Hand has helped grow the program over the years, which has about 10 students who caddie regularly on weekends and school breaks. The program includes youth development components such as mentor sessions and college prep sessions. 

“We’ve had tremendous support from our club, and we are just delighted to see our first caddie earn the Evans Scholarship,” Hand said. “We are very proud of all Harry’s achievements in the last few years and know he will go on to do great things in his future.”

“Harry 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.”

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 1,045 caddies are enrolled in 19 universities across the nation as Evans Scholars, and more than 11,320 caddies have graduated as Evans Scholars since the program was founded by famed Chicago amateur golfer Charles “Chick” Evans Jr. in 1930.

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 $15 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. In 2021, the BMW Championship will be held at Caves Valley Golf Club from Aug. 23-29.