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but grew in the 1890’s, while

serving as a caddie, lugging golf

bags around Edgewater Golf

Club in northern Chicago. He

learned the game looping and

aspired to attend Northwestern

University in Evanston. His

parents were not wealthy and

after just one year, Evans was

forced to drop out of school

and earn a living.

When he won the 1916 U.S.

Open Championship, he was

sought after for book deals

and

endorsements

based

on his golfing exploits, but

amateur rules prevented him

from personally accepting

any remuneration from those

endeavors. His mother first

suggested the idea to establish

a trust to put those monies

toward college scholarships

for needy young people, who

had grown up as caddies. She

knew how much not being

able to complete his university

ambitions had meant to her son

and these extra funds provided

an opportunity to help other

deserving young people.

Evans approached the Western

Golf Association (WGA) for

assistance with this effort and

in 1930, two students, Harold

Fink and Jim McGinnis, both

from the Chicago area, attended

Northwestern University as the

first Evans Scholars. From that

meager beginning nearly 100

years ago, the Evans Scholarship

program has grown to over

10,000 caddies receiving

degrees.

In the 2015-16 school year

alone, 910 young men and

women, caddies all, are

receiving full tuition and

housing at 19 universities

that have partnered with the

Western Golf Association.

Since 1930, total tuition and

housing expenditures exceed

$332 million.

The Evans Scholars program,

supported by the WGA, has

grown much larger than Chick

Evans could have imagined.

It’s 14 miles from Blissfield,

Michigan toHighlandMeadows

Golf Club in Sylvania, Ohio.

As a young man, Alan Sprunk

hitch-hiked from his home

in Blissfield to Highland

Meadows every summer day

to caddie. He credits the

Head Professional at the time,

Herman Lang, for getting him

started as a caddie. He was

awarded an Evans Scholarship

to attend Michigan State and

graduated in 1979. Like many

former Evans Scholar Alumni,

he stays actively involved in

Chick evans 1916 us am

and open trophies

NWO Golf Links