Lincoln-Way Senior, Caddy To Receive Chick Evans Scholar College Award

FRANKFORT, IL — A Frankfort resident and senior at Lincoln-Way East High School is among 70 students from the greater Chicago area who will receive college scholarships for caddying as part of the "Chick" Evans Scholars Foundation program.

Raul Ricon Ortega will receive one of the full scholarships through the program after being sponsored through Prestwick Country Club, the Evans Scholars Foundation recently announced.

Each of the students was selected to receive the Evans Scholarship – a full housing and tuition college grant offered to golf caddies – following four final selection meeting interviews held across the region in December. They are among the first recipients awarded from selection interviews.

Each recipient will begin college in fall 2023 as Evans Scholars, with awarded universities to be finalized by April 1. The Evans Scholarship is valued at more than $125,000 over four years.

“Each student has demonstrated excellence in the classroom, on the golf course, and in their communities,” WGA Chairman Joe Desch said in a news release. “We are thrilled to welcome them to what will be an exceptional class of New Scholars from across the nation.”

Evans Scholars selection meeting interviews will continue nationwide through spring. When the 2022-23 selection meeting process is complete, an estimated 325 caddies are expected to be awarded the Evans Scholarship.

The Western Golf Association, headquartered in Glenview has supported the Chick Evans Scholarship Program through the Evans Scholars Foundation since 1930. Known as one of golf’s favorite charities, it is the nation’s largest scholarship program for caddies.

Currently, a record 1,100 caddies are enrolled at 22 universities across the nation as Evans Scholars, and more than 11,800 caddies have graduated as Evans Scholars since the program was founded by famed Chicago amateur golfer Charles “Chick” Evans Jr.

“These young students represent what our Program has been about since 1930,” WGA President and CEO John Kaczkowski said in a news release “We are proud to welcome them to the Evans Scholars family.”

Scholarship funds come mostly from contributions by nearly 36,000 supporters 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 penultimate PGA TOUR Playoff event in the PGA TOUR’s FedExCup competition, are donated to the Evans Scholars Foundation.