Northwest caddies earn Evans Scholarships
Twelve students from the Pacific Northwest have been awarded the Evans Scholarship — a full housing and tuition college grant offered to golf caddies — following regional selection meeting interviews held in February. These students will begin college in the fall of 2025 as Evans Scholars. The scholarship is valued at more than $125,000 over four years.
The 12 students include Natalie Herrejon-Balderas (Eastmoreland GC), Julie Liu (Eastmoreland GC), Humberto Sanchez (Royal Oaks CC), Zyhara West (Heron Lakes GC), Madden Wunderlich (Gearhart GL), Calvin Olson (Gearhart GL), Connor Meir (Victoria GC), Joe Harris (Victoria GC), Esther Yapjoco (Broadmoor GC), Beza Honelign (Broadmoor GC), Bruktayt Worku (Broadmoor GC), and Kevin Li (Seattle GC).
Each caddie has a unique story that reflects the scholarship’s four selection criteria: a strong caddie record, excellent academics, demonstrated financial need and outstanding character.
As the Evans Scholars Program continues to grow nationwide, more students from newer areas, including the Pacific Northwest, are being introduced to the opportunity to caddie and earn a full college scholarship. In recent years, for example, club leaders at Gearheart (Ore.) Golf Links have revitalized their caddie program, helping to create summer job opportunities for local youth.
Madden Wunderlich, of Seaside, and Calvin Olson, of Warrenton, are the second and third caddies from the golf course’s program to be awarded the Evans Scholarship.
Olson, a senior at Warrenton High School, will be the first in his family to attend college, where he intends to study sports management. With encouragement from his uncle, he continued caddying in pursuit of the Evans Scholarship. “I consider my uncle my mentor, and he helped me realize the benefit of a college education,” Olson said. “I stuck with caddying to put my family’s path in a better direction and to be a role model to my sister.”
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 95 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 36,000 supporters across the country, who are members of the Evans Scholars Par Club program. In particular, the Evans Cup of Washington and Evans Cup of Oregon are two fundraisers held each year, and combined now raise over $500,000 annually.
“The academic, caddie and leadership efforts of this group are outstanding, and we look forward to seeing all that they will accomplish as Evans Scholars,” said WGA Director and Washington State Chair Linda Walker. “We hope their dedication will inspire more young people across Washington to pursue caddying as an avenue to this life-changing opportunity.”
Beza Honelign, of Puyallup, Wash., will be the first in her family to attend college. She plans to study biology. “Through caddying, I learned lessons that solidified my understanding of myself and boosted my confidence in articulating my future goals,” she said. “I made progress in my public speaking skills by conversing with my golfers. Many of the lessons I learned on the course translated to my work ethic in the classroom.”
She is one of three newly awarded Evans Scholars who participated in the WGA Caddie Academy Seattle chapter – a special summer program run by the WGA that provides caddie opportunities to promising high school students. Participants caddie at Broadmoor Golf Club, Overlake Golf & Country Club and Seattle Golf Club.
With seven branches nationwide, the Caddie Academy program offers students a chance to work each day, earn money, meet role models and learn valuable life lessons on the golf course. After three summers, participants become eligible to apply for the Evans Scholarship. Since 2012, more than 150 graduates of the WGA Caddie Academy have been awarded an Evans Scholarship.
Connor Meir and Joe Harris, both of Victoria, caddied at Victoria Golf Club.
“Both Connor and Joe have proven to be incredibly committed at our club and in our community,” WGA Director and Victoria Golf Club member Jenny Dobell. “We are so proud of all they have achieved academically and personally, and we look forward to watching them succeed as Evans Scholars and beyond.”
Meir, who plans to study business, is a senior at Oak Bay High School. He has been playing golf since age three and will be the first in his family to attend college. “The aspect I cherish most about caddying is the life advice I received from golfers,” he said. “Every golfer I caddied for told me about their lives, and often their careers. This was a gift I am extremely grateful for, as it heavily influenced my decision to pursue a career in business.”
Harris, who plans to study law, is a senior at Reynolds Secondary School. He also will be the first in his family to attend college. “Caddying has taught me how to be a better leader through motivating others and setting an excellent example,” he said. “It has reinforced my sense of responsibility, reliability and trustworthiness – teaching me how to network on a one-on-one level.”
The Western Golf Association (WGA), headquartered in Glenview, Ill., oversees the Evans Scholars Program. Recently recognized as the Scholarship Provider of the Year by the National Scholarship Providers Association, the Evans Scholars Foundation (ESF) is one of golf’s favorite charities and the nation’s largest scholarship program for caddies.
Currently, a record 1,190 caddies are enrolled at 24 universities across the country as Evans Scholars – including 27 at the University of Oregon. More than 12,285 caddies have graduated as Evans Scholars since the Program was founded by famed Chicago amateur golfer Charles “Chick” Evans Jr. in 1930.
