OCEANSIDE — A senior at San Marcos High School has been awarded the Chick Evans Scholarship, a full four-year housing and tuition award for golf caddies and the nation’s largest privately funded scholarship program.
Loren Ishmael Guerra, of Oceanside, who works as a caddie at Goat Hill Park Golf Club, earned the four-year scholarship, valued at more than $125,000, based on his strong caddie record, academics and character, along with demonstrated financial need.
Guerra will begin college next fall as an Evans Scholar and enroll at one of the program’s partner universities nationwide, with his final placement to be determined this spring.
The scholarship is offered by the Western Golf Association through the Evans Scholars Foundation, which has supported the Chick Evans Scholarship Program since 1930. The program is considered one of golf’s leading charities.
Guerra is the third caddie from Goat Hill Park to receive the Evans Scholarship. Twins Ada and Annabelle Lee, now sophomores at the University of Washington, were the first two recipients.
“Caddying at Goat Hill has taught me how to lead by example and connect with people from all walks of life,” Guerra said. “The experiences I’ve had on the course have helped shape who I am and inspired me to work hard toward my goal of making a positive impact in my community.”
John Ashworth, caretaker of Goat Hill Park, said the award reflects the impact of mentorship at a public course.
“When we established the caddie program at Goat Hill Park, our goal was to create meaningful opportunities for young people at a public course,” Ashworth said. “Seeing Loren earn the Evans Scholarship is a powerful example of what can happen when access, mentorship and hard work come together. We’re incredibly proud of him and excited for what this means for the future of our program.”
An estimated 380 caddies are expected to receive the Evans Scholarship this year. Currently, a record 1,260 students are enrolled at 27 universities nationwide as Evans Scholars, and more than 12,575 caddies have graduated since the program was founded by Chicago amateur golfer Charles “Chick” Evans Jr.
Evans Scholars have a cumulative GPA of 3.3 and a 98% graduation rate. About 40% are first-generation college students, and 96% are employed or enrolled in graduate school within six months of graduating.
Most scholarship funding comes from contributions from more than 43,500 supporters nationwide, including Evans Scholars alumni, who donate more than $15 million annually. Proceeds from the BMW Championship, the penultimate event in the PGA TOUR FedExCup Playoffs, also benefit the Evans Scholars Foundation.
