Wga Evans Scholars magazine - Western Golf Association

The
WGA Evans Scholars
Magazine
Pacific
Northwest
Expansion
A Commitment
to Compassion:
One Alum’s Journey
WGA’s Inaugural
Green Coat Gala
WINTER 2011-12

THISissue
Winter 2011-12
Newsletter No. 142
The
WGA Evans Scholars
Magazine
A publication of the
Western Golf Association,
Evans Scholars Foundation
and Evans Scholars
Alumni Association
To change your
address
info@wgaesf.com or
(847) 724-4600
to submit content
Send story ideas, letters,
pictures, event wrap-ups and
more to alumni@wgaesf.com,
or mail to:
Western Golf Association,
One Briar Road, Golf, IL 60029
features
4
14
16
profiles
1
23
24
28
Green Coat Gala
WGA’s inaugural black-tie benefit
Chip Beck Scholars
Celebrating 20 years of Chip
Beck Scholarship awards
2011 BMW Championship
Winner Justin Rose, Scholar
initiatives, Alumni give back
The Renaissance Men
Jan and Jen Concepcion (Ill. ’15)
excel in caddying, school, arts
2011 Speakers Forum
Mary Petrovich (Mich. ’85):
“I have been blessed”
Commitment to compassion
Mike Magluilo (Ill. ’93) aims to
bring education to rural areas
A dream comes true
Todd Bramson (Wis. ’83) caddies
and plays at Augusta National
cover story
6
5
10
11
A bold vision in the Northwest
Leaders aim to open the region’s
first Scholarship House by 2015
news and notes
22 Scholarships
Scholars Expo, Program leaders,
winners of the year
other
12
29
Fund-raising
Match Play Challenge,
University of Illinois campaign
Caddies
Caddie Championship, Hall of
Fame, Caddie Academy
Championships
Western Amateur winner, WGA
partners with WWGA
2011 event wrap-up
Evans Scholar fund-raising events
Mac Report
Alumni news, Class notes
Chairman
Roger Mohr
President and CEO
John Kaczkowski
Editorial Staff
Editor
Amy Boerema Fuller
Contributing Writers
Jessica Dillard
Nicole Thompson
Vice President
of Communications
Gary Holaway
Cover
Evans Scholars at the
University of Washington,
Seattle
Photo by Dan Lamont
The WGA’s inaugural
GreenCoat Gala
benefiting evans scholars
Page 4

scholar profile
Twins Jen, left, and Jan Concepcion
The
Renaissance
Men
Born in Manila, twin brothers Jan and Jen
Concepcion strive for excellence in caddying,
arts and school as new Evans Scholars
They stood quietly on the “L” train’s
Red Line platform. Waiting. It was
August in Chicago, and their school
uniforms were as heavy and hot as the thick,
late summer air. Then the platform began to
shake. The train pummeled down the track and
screeched to a halt in front of them.
Twin brothers Jan and Jen Concepcion
stepped inside, and the train rattled forward,
out of their rickety town on Chicago’s north
end toward Fenwick High School — and a
future they never could have imagined back in
the Philippines eight years ago.
A powerful work ethic and a hunger for
learning has taken the 18-year-old twins from
modest means in the Philippines to excellence
in school, the arts and the caddie yard in
Chicago, and now to their current stop: as new
Evans Scholars, both pursuing architecture
degrees at the University of Illinois.
continued
Photos by Charles cherney • story By Nicole Thompson
Winter 2011-12
1

The Renaissance Men
Twins Jan (left) and Jen Concepcion
practice at the University of Illinois
Evans Scholarship House.
The Renaissance Men
It took 18 hours — well, 10 years and 18 hours — for Jan and Jen to get to
America. They spent the first decade of their lives in Manila, the capital of the
Philippines. They lived in the inner city, and their grandmother kept them inside
during the day, away from the gamblers at the nearby horse racetrack and the
squatters who roamed the neighborhood.
One day, their parents came home with an announcement: “We’re moving to
America.”
Wanting to give their four children a better future, their parents scraped
together enough money to move, selling a beloved truck to pay for plane
tickets.
“When we heard America, we thought of the American dream,” Jan said. “We
thought of Disneyland and snow. We had never seen snow before.”
“What are the chances that a
boy from Manila would be able
to get a scholarship to one of the
nation’s finest universities I can
only think to myself, ‘Maybe I do
have a chance.’”
-jen concepcion
After an 18-hour flight, the family settled in San Diego. “That’s when I first saw
the world’s possibilities,” Jen said. “I read my first book, learned how to ride a
bike, rode my first roller coaster and went trick-or-treating.”
English had been a second language for the brothers in Manila, and they
surprised their teachers by mastering it so quickly. “The biggest struggle was
learning slang,” Jan said. “I never said ‘ya.’ I didn’t use ‘gonna’ or ‘wanna.’”
It was the first of many shining moments to come in the classroom.
Several years later, the family moved because of their mom’s job. This time,
they settled in Chicago.
2 The WGA Evans Scholars Magazine

A golden ticket
After several years in public school, the twins got the first of
two golden tickets: the Daniel Murphy Scholarship, which gives
students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds the
opportunity to attend college preparatory high schools.
The brothers were admitted to Fenwick High School in Oak Park,
Ill. It took an hour on the city’s “L” train to get from their north
side apartment to school. That ride turned out to be a revelation.
“I kind of hated Chicago when I first came here, but that train
ride to Fenwick every day is when I really started liking it,”
Jan said. “I fell in love with the architecture. We rode through
the whole city —
by Wrigley Field,
“College is liberating. I
the suburbs, the
never expected to have so downtown. I realized
I’m in love with it.”
much freedom and so many
choices. It’s been very
rewarding.”
-JEN CONCEPCION
Their freshman year,
Jan recalls having a
hard time fitting in.
“We didn’t really like
Fenwick because we
didn’t get to know the community,” he said. “The only way to like
going to Fenwick was to join the activities.”
And that’s exactly what they did. By the end of high school, Jan
and Jen were involved in just about everything: National Honors
Society, science and engineering team, the newspaper, art club,
stage crew, orchestra, Bible study, chess team, and countless
art, math and science competitions.
A natural curiosity
“(They) are in many ways ‘Renaissance Men’ in this country,”
said Fenwick administrator Richard Borsch of the brothers.
It often was a struggle to balance it all, Jan recalls. But
a passion for knowledge and discovery kept them going.
“Freshman year, when I read a poem, I just read it. It meant
nothing,” Jen said. “Then in AP English, we looked deeper
into the message. If you look into anything, there’s something
deeper.”
By that time, the twins had picked up caddying. After learning
about the Evans Scholarship through a Daniel Murphy event,
they immediately picked up bags at Evanston Golf Club. Knowing
nothing about golf or caddying, the brothers did what they
always did — picked up a book to learn more.
“I was memorizing terms from the back of the book — bunkers,
holes, etc.,” Jan said. “It helped that we had a very enthusiastic
caddie master our first year. He would drive us around the holes
to meet members. He really helped us learn to like golf.”
The last journey
Both love the arts and play the violin. They both excel in math
and science and are now pursuing architecture degrees.
But Jen insists there are differences. “My brother is smarter
when it comes to school, but I’m more practical. He is smarter
than me in math, but I beat him in art. I like to think of us like
one brain — but I am the right side and he is the left.”
Now, these “Renaissance men” are bringing their skills to the
next stop on their journey — at the University of Illinois. And
sometimes, it’s still hard to comprehend.
“What are the chances that a boy from Manila would be able
to get a scholarship to one of the nation’s finest universities”
said Jen. “After three years of caddying, a decade of growth in
character and 18 years of financial difficulties, I can only think
to myself, ‘Maybe I do have a chance.’”
Though the twins say they miss the people in the Philippines,
they are creating a new family at the Evans Scholarship House.
“The best way I can describe college is liberating,” Jen says.
“There’s so much to do: hang out with friends, work out at the
gym, participate in various clubs and organizations around
campus. The best part has been getting to know so many new
people. I never expected to have so much freedom and so many
choices. It’s been very rewarding.”
The twins aren’t waiting for the train anymore. But where will
their next stop be “Now I know so many doors have opened,”
Jen said. “Anything is possible.”
Twins Jan
(left) and Jen
Concepcion
on the U of I
campus.
-Amy Boerema Fuller contributed to this story.
Through all the moving and readjusting, the boys have had one
constant: each other. “We have the twin connection,” Jen said.

The WGA’s inaugural
GreenCoat Gala
benefiting evans scholars
The Western Golf Association’s
inaugural Green Coat Gala was
held Friday, November 4 at The
Peninsula Chicago to benefit the
Evans Scholars Foundation.
About 300 supporters attended the
black-tie event — sponsored by
Northern Trust and ITW — which
will help send deserving caddies to
college. The event is estimated to
generate net proceeds of $350,000.
In addition to successful live and
silent auctions, the event featured
special guest speaker and World
Golf Hall of Fame member Curtis
Strange, who shared stories and
took questions from the audience.
Strange, who won the 1974
Western Amateur, talked about his
long history with the organization.
“It means a great deal to me, not
only my history as an amateur and
a professional with them, but what
they do for the kids in this area,”
he said. “The Evans Scholars gives
kids a chance to better themselves,
kids who are maybe a little less
fortunate than some. I think it is a
wonderful, wonderful thing.”
Evans Scholar Luke Mehmeti,
a sophomore at Northwestern
University, also spoke on how
caddying and earning the Evans
Scholarship changed his life.
“It is not just a program or an
award,” he said. “It is a force, a
true miracle for so many people
like me. It is proof that the wildest
dreams can certainly come true.”
Peggy Kusinski, award-winning
member of the NBC5 sports team,
emceed the live auction.
“The Evans Scholars gives kids
a chance to better themselves,
kids who are maybe a little less
fortunate than some.”
-Curtis Strange
Photos, from top: An overview of the room at
The Peninsula Chicago. From left: Northern
Trust CEO Rick Waddell with his wife, Cate,
and son, Charlie; Western Junior champion
Connor Black; WGA Director Jason Kinander
reacts after winning the live auction item,
emcee Peggy Kusinski shares a laugh with
Evans Scholar Luke Mehmeti; and WGA
President and CEO John Kaczkowski presents
World Golf Hall of Famer and special guest
Curtis Strange a “Friends of the WGA” award.
4 The WGA Evans Scholars Magazine

Sixth Match Play partner secured
•WGA leaders announced in September that a sixth Match Play Partner, Avy
Stein, has joined the Match Play Challenge.
•His pledge of $300,000 allows all gifts to the WGA Evans Scholars Par Club
of $2,500 and greater — up to $1.8 million — to be matched.
•The WGA is working on securing additional Match Play partner commitments,
allowing the Challenge to continue beyond 2011.
news & notes
Fund-raising
What is the Match Play Challenge
The fund-raising initiative, introduced in 2011, aims to raise $3.6 million
in operating funds for the Evans Scholars Foundation, with $1.8 million
coming from major Par Club gifts and $1.8 million coming from six
generous Match Play partners.
The Challenge expands on the Par Club’s grass-roots support by reaching
out to donors who can contribute at higher Par Club giving levels. It will
position the Foundation for future growth at a time when scholarship
applications are at record levels. If you would like to help the organization
reach its goal, contact Bill Kingore at (224) 260-3712.
Match Play Partners
WGA Directors Mike Keiser
and Jerry Rich
Evans Alum and WGA Director
George Solich
WGA Evans Scholars
Supporters Kevin Flynn,
James Perry and Avy Stein
Bandon Dunes 2012
Campaign underway to create special
endowment at University of Illinois
The WGA is creating a special endowment to ensure the
stability of the University of Illinois Evans Scholarship chapter.
Campaign leaders are aiming to raise $6 million to help offset
rising tuition prices.
The third annual Evans Scholars Foundation Charity
Retreat at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort in Oregon will
be May 8-10, with guests enjoying private jet service,
gourmet meals and rounds on all four world-class
courses. The 2011 event netted over $200,000 for ESF.
The Illinois Scholarship House is the largest of the Program’s
14 chapters and its “flagship” chapter. Last year, tuition for the
Illinois Evans Scholars was $1.3 million, a 52 percent jump from
2005. For more details, contact Jerry Dudek at (224) 260-3730.
Want to learn more
about planned giving
Visit our new website:
www.wgaesf.aboutgiving.net/
Winter 2011-12
5

Photos by Dan Lamont
“I’m excited for
Scholars in the
Pacific Northwest
to soon have
the opportunity
to experience
Scholarship House
living.”
-Bill Moses, WGA’s first
Director, West Region
A Bold
Lyle Stafford, The Times-Colonist
Vision
in the
Pacific Northwest
The Evans Scholars Foundation launches an unprecedented
push to expand the Program in the Pacific Northwest, in
hopes of opening the region’s first Scholarship House by 2015.
6 The WGA Evans Scholars Magazine

A
s early as the 1930s, golfers
in the Pacific Northwest
were supporting the idea
of sending caddies to college. For the
past 80 years, passionate volunteers
have worked tirelessly to strengthen
their caddie programs and raise
awareness of the Evans Scholars
Foundation. Along the way, there have
been stops and starts, challenges
and triumphs. Though it hasn’t been a
simple journey, these volunteers have
never stopped believing in their cause.
In January 2012, the Western Golf Association will launch
an unprecedented push to expand the Evans Scholars
Program in the Pacific Northwest by relocating a full-time
staff member to the West Coast.
Columbia, he’ll help to administer and promote the
Program by working with partner golf associations,
fund-raising, developing and growing caddie programs,
coordinating the efforts of local WGA Directors and
Alumni, and overseeing current Scholars.
The organization’s latest efforts also help solidify
the Evans Scholars Program — which now awards
Scholarships to caddies from coast to coast — as a
national initiative.
The plan to strengthen caddie programs on the West
Coast isn’t without its challenges. “It’s a much different
culture around here,” said WGA Director Rick Wirthlin,
an Ohio State Evans Scholar Alum and leader in helping
WGA’s Bill
Moses with
Washington
Scholars in
Seattle
continued
The goal To open the Program’s first Scholarship House
at a university in Oregon or Washington by 2015. It
would be the Foundation’s first new chapter since 1987.
Bill Moses, a Marquette Evans Scholar Alum who
previously served as the organization’s Associate
Educational Director, will work from the Pacific
Northwest Golf Association offices near Seattle as the
WGA’s first Director, West Region.
“We have a lot of work ahead of us, but I’m looking
forward to the challenge and am excited for Scholars in
the Pacific Northwest to soon have the opportunity to
experience a crucial component of the Evans Scholarship
— Scholarship House living,” Moses said.
Primarily focusing on Oregon, Washington and British

Pacific Northwest At a Glance
University of Oregon:
9 Scholars, 194 Alumni
Oregon State University:
20 Scholars, 62 Alumni
University of Washington:
16 Scholars, 207 Alumni
Washington State University:
3 Scholars, 24 Alumni
*One Scholar from Victoria Golf Club in Canada
currently attends the University of Colorado
Oregon Evans Scholars
A Bold Vision in the
Continued from page 7
promote the Program in Washington. Many residents
are avid outdoor fans and are used to carrying their
own golf bags. “Many people out here have never had a
caddie and don’t know what it’s like,” he says. “We need
to create or raise awareness for the program and how
to promote caddying at clubs.”
Washington Evans Scholars
Jill Bartling graduated from
the University of Oregon in 2011
with a 3.59 GPA and a bachelor’s
degree in public policy.
Oct. 23, 2011
Dear Evans Scholars Foundation,
Thank you so much for supporting me and
putting me through college! I am blessed to have
my bachelor’s degree, and I can honestly say I
couldn’t have done it without you. Thank you for
everything!
As advocates and volunteers on the West Coast,
education and recruitment are key parts of the
roles of WGA Directors and club
members. Another challenge has
been access to the resources and
staff support they need, as they are
farthest geographically from WGA
headquarters.
“We have to educate the club golfer
Bill Ashenden
about the opportunity to have a caddie
and the enjoyment that comes from it, the mentoring
opportunities,” said Bill Ashenden, lead WGA Director
in the Pacific Northwest and a member of the WGA
Board of Governors.
There have been some exciting successes. Four years
after reviving its caddie program, Victoria Golf Club
in British Columbia, Canada, had its first Evans
Scholar, Alex Adams, who is now a freshman at the
University of Colorado.
At a club whose members relied on carts, it took
awhile for people to embrace using caddies. “Now
8 The WGA Evans Scholars Magazine

Highlights
1913
Chick Evans first visits Pacific NW; plays
exhibition matches with the Midwestern
Team in Seattle and Portland.
Nathan Pointer is interviewed at a 2011 selection
meeting in Oregon.
Pacific Northwest
1938
1948
First Pacific NW Evans Scholar: Seattle’s
Dick Haskell, an Inglewood CC caddie and
1942 Northwestern University graduate.
PNGA becomes WGA affiliate;
OGA and WSGA join later.
it’s a resounding success,” WGA Director Berne
Neufeld said. “We have our first Scholar, and it’s
really brought it full circle. The members are like,
‘A-ha! That’s what it’s all about.’”
One of the nation’s premier golf resorts, Bandon
Dunes, which opened in 1999, also has shown
an unparalleled commitment to caddies, boasting
one of the nation’s largest caddie programs. Since
2002, 25 Bandon Dunes caddies have earned Evans
Scholarships.
Now is the ideal time for the Foundation to create a
position on the West Coast, Moses says, to capitalize
on that kind of momentum. “We can’t wait any
longer,” he adds. “This region has great potential for
caddies. We’re ready to take the next step.”
Opening a Scholarship House is the critical piece of
the expansion plan. Nearly 550 Pacific Northwest
caddies have been awarded the Evans Scholarship,
and they have all lived in general campus housing.
A House will help with recruitment and solidify a
bond among current Scholars, who have limited
opportunities to socialize together.
“Opening a Scholarship House presents us with
a clear vision and a goal we can all work toward,”
Ashenden said. “Now we have something to focus in
on. That helps a lot.”
-Amy Boerema Fuller
Ellis, center, with WGA’s Jeff Harrison,
left, and Jim Moore, in 1992.
1992
1976
The first Evans Cup
is held. The annual
outings, held in Portland
and Seattle, become
premier fund-raising
events for the Evans
Scholars Program.
2012
WGA launches
new plan to boost
Pacific NW growth.
1963
Legendary WGA Director Elon
Ellis from Portland Golf Club
leads the charge in helping grow
the Program on the West Coast.
Western Junior held at Eugene CC;
all three WGA golf championships
have now been played in Pacific NW.
WGA Director Brooks
Whittle becomes a major
force in helping fundraise
for the Evans Cups.
Current PNGA President Jack
Lamey and Troy Andrew, CEO/
Executive Director of PNGA/WSGA
Winter 2011-12
9

caddies
news & notes
2011
caddie Championship
Olympia Fields caddie wins annual
WGA competition featuring caddie
programs from across three states
The WGA’s annual Caddie
Championship took place
on July 11 at Park Ridge
Country Club in Park Ridge, Ill.
Each caddie program can select two caddies
to represent their club in the golf championship, with
programs from across three states participating. Both
team and individual trophies are awarded.
Evan Berna, above, a caddie from Olympia Fields
Country Club, beat 79 other caddies for individual
honors, posting an even-par 70.
Evanston Golf Club won the team event, with David
Flynn shooting a 71 and Sean Bustrom scoring a 74 for
a combined 145.
The format for next year’s championship will feature
teams consisting of four players: two caddies, a caddie
manager and a WGA Director.
“The annual caddie championship is a great way for
caddies across the Midwest to meet and compete,”
says Mike Maher, WGA’s assistant educational
director. “By slightly changing the format, we’ll be able
to include even more of our club supporters.”
Caddie Hall of Fame
The WGA is now administering The Caddie Hall of
Fame, an exhibit that highlights the tradition and
importance of caddying, at the WGA headquarters
in Golf, Ill. The Hall of Fame initially was created in
1999 by the Professional Caddies Association.
Founders Laura and Dennis Cone, above right,
were inducted into the Hall of Fame during a
special ceremony held Sept. 12 during the BMW
Championship week at Cog Hill Golf and Country
Club. In attendance was Chicago-area native Tom
Dreesen, above left, a regular on The Tonight Show,
who spoke of how caddying changed his life.
WGA Caddie Academy
to launch this summer
The new WGA Caddie
Academy will provide caddying Female Evans
opportunities to young
Scholars and
women who are entering their
sophomore year of high school Alums will be hired
and come from economically as counselors to
disadvantaged backgrounds
supervise and mentor
or don’t live close to a WGAmember
country club.
the women caddies.
Beginning this summer, the
young women will live for seven
weeks at the Northwestern Evans Scholarship House and
caddie at select North Side clubs. The program, which will
be funded through sponsors, includes an application process.
“The Caddie Academy will provide young female
students an opportunity to caddie, ultimately exposing
them to a shot at earning an Evans Scholarship.”
-Mike Maher, Assistant Educational Director
10 The WGA Evans Scholars Magazine

news & notes
championships
109th
Western Amateur
August 1-6, North Shore Country Club, Glenview, Illinois
2011 Champion Ethan Tracy
Ethan Tracy
Ethan Tracy, from Hilliard, Ohio, sank a 10-foot par-saving putt on the
final hole to hold off Patrick Cantlay, the world’s top-ranked amateur,
and post a 1-up win in the Western Amateur at North Shore Country
Club. “I knew I was playing well enough to beat anyone, and it came
down that way,” said Tracy, a senior at the University of Arkansas.
North Shore Endowed Named Scholarship
2012 WGA Championships
The Western Junior
June 18-22, Country Club of Florida (Village of Golf, Fla.)
The Western Amateur
July 30-Aug. 4, Exmoor Country Club (Highland Park, Ill.)
The BMW Championship
Sept. 3-9, Crooked Stick Golf Club (Carmel, Ind.)
At the Aug. 4 Western Amateur Sweet Sixteen dinner, North
Shore WGA Director John Lynch presented WGA Chairman
Roger Mohr a check for $136,000 to create a North Shore
Endowed Named Evans Scholarship.
“We consider the Evans Program a marvelous endeavor for
the caddie-scholar,” said Dr. Philip FitzSimons, tournament
chairman. “To be able to provide for an Endowed North Shore
Country Club Evans Scholarship will be a lasting source of
pride for our board, our members and our caddie program.”
WGA and WWGA Partnership
Beginning in 2012, the WGA will provide administrative
support to the Women’s Western Golf Association
championships. The WWGA’s 112th National Amateur
Championship is June 18-23 at Monroe Golf and Country Club
in Monroe, Mich. The 86th National Junior Championship is
July 9-13 at Cincinnati Country Club in Cincinnati, Ohio.
The Alotian Club to host 2013 Amateur
The Alotian Club, one of the nation’s premier golf courses, will host
the 2013 Western Amateur, WGA leaders announced on Nov. 30.
“The Alotian Club (in Roland, Ark.) has received accolades since
the day it opened. We expect our field of top-ranked amateurs will
be thrilled to have an opportunity to compete on such a prestigious
course,” said WGA’s Vice President of Tournaments Vince Pellegrino.
Winter 2011-12
11

2011
Evans Scholars
events
Our one-day tournaments and special events are major fund-raising vehicles,
helping to raise nearly $1 million to benefit the Evans Scholars above and
beyond Par Club memberships. Thank you for your support!
Biltmore Scholars
Day
June 8, Biltmore Country
Club, N. Barrington, Ill.
The 21st annual event raised
$15,000 and featured Illinois
Scholar Henry Cornillie as
a guest speaker. The event
has contributed more than
$350,000 since it began.
CADDIES TO COLLEGE
June 20, Norwood Hills
Country Club, St. Louis, Mo.
The 16th annual event raised
$155,000 and featured
Wisconsin Alum Todd
Bramson as a speaker. The
tournament has raised $1.8
million since it began. The
2012 event is June 17 at
Norwood Hills.
caddie classic
Aug. 8, Maketewah Country
Club, Cincinnati, Ohio
The 24th annual fund-raiser
was a success, with a
record-breaking 188 golfers
attending. The event raised
$80,000 for Ohio Evans
Scholars, increasing its
cumulative total to $1.4
million. The 2012 event is
July 23 at Kenwood Country
Club.
COLORADO PAR CLUB
TOURNAMENT
Oct. 10, The Broadmoor,
Colorado Springs, Colo.
The 30th annual event
raised more than $80,000
and celebrated 50 years of
the Evans Scholarship in
Colorado. The 2012 fundraiser
is Oct. 1 at Colorado
Golf Club.
East Coast Evans
Scholars Classic
July 25, Hawk Pointe Golf
Club, Washington, N.J.
The annual event had
more than 100 golfers and
raised $48,000, bringing its
cumulative total to more
than $250,000.
Evans Cup of Oregon
Sept. 12, Portland Golf Club,
Portland, Ore.
The annual event raised
$75,000 and featured Oregon
Alum Sterling Lentz speaking
about the Scholarship’s lifechanging
impact.
Evans Cup of
Washington
Aug. 29, Meridian Valley
Country Club, Kent, Wash.
The event raised $85,000
and featured Washington
Scholar Rachel Pendergast
as a guest speaker.
Evans Scholars
Friends and Family
Night
July 5, U.S. Cellular Field,
Chicago, Ill.
Evans Scholars and Alumni
were joined by their family
and friends to raise $10,000
for the Program at the annual
summer White Sox baseball
game.
12 The WGA Evans Scholars Magazine

Evans Scholars
Invitational
Aug. 1, Onwentsia Club, Lake
Forest, Ill. and Shoreacres,
Lake Bluff, Ill.
The Alumni’s premier oneday
fund-raiser brought in
$210,000 and featured pro
golfers Jay Haas and Kris
Tschetter as special guests.
Northwestern Scholar Luke
Mehmeti also spoke. The
2012 event is July 30 at Glen
View Club and North Shore
Country Club.
hickory STICK
INVITATIONAL
Sept. 12, Edgewood Country
Club, Commerce, Mich.
The 14th annual event
raised $21,300 and featured
Michigan and Michigan
State Scholars as speakers.
Fox Sports’ Woody Woodriffe
was the emcee.
Jeff Kallman
Memorial Outing
Aug. 22, Rolling Green
Country Club, Mt. Prospect,
Ill.
The 13th annual outing, held
in honor of Illinois Alum Jeff
Kallman, raised more than
$12,000. Since it started, it
has made about $250,000.
The 2012 outing will be at
Medinah Country Club.
Maple bluff evans
scholars golf classic
June 13, Maple Bluff Country
Club, Madison, Wis.
The 33rd Classic raised nearly
$30,000; the dinner featured
Wisconsin Scholar president
Alfonse Drechsler as a guest.
McHenry Evans
Scholars Day
June 17, McHenry Country
Club, McHenry, Ill.
Chicago Bears long snapper
Patrick Mannelly made a holein-one
at the event, which
raised $30,000 to support
Evans Scholars.
Michigan Evans
Scholars Golf Classic
July 18, Detroit Golf Club,
Detroit, Mich.
Despite stormy weather that
put an early end to the day,
the 22nd annual event raised
a record-breaking $70,000.
Midlothian Evans
Scholars Day
June 28 and July 9,
Midlothian Country Club,
Midlothian, Ill.
The women’s and men’s
championships raised a
combined $30,000, with
Scholars donating caddie
fees and tips. Illinois Alum
Tim Feuerborn and club
member Jody Rotondo made
generous donations as event
sponsors.
Minnesota SEVEN CLUB
FUND-RAISER
July 25, Interlachen Country
Club, Edina, Minn.
The annual outing raised
$40,000, with event chair
Cheryl Schneider given more
than $5,000 in caddie fees
from Minnesota chapter
president Jamie Burnett.
Northeast Ohio Evans
Scholar DaY
Aug. 4, Brookside Country
Club, Canton, Ohio.
The event raised $10,000,
and “every player left with
great feelings of support
from Brookside and their
caddie program,” said WGA
Director David Cannon.
Peter Hill Memorial
Outing
Sept. 10, Ridges at Sand
Creek, Jordan, Minn.
The inaugural event,
honoring Minnesota Alum
Peter Hill who passed away
in January 2011, raised over
$18,000. The 2012 event is
Sept. 18.
River Forest Evans
Scholarship Day
May 24, River Forest Country
Club, Elmhurst, Ill.
PGA TOUR pro and WGA
Director Mark Wilson was on
hand to help raise $18,500.
The 2012 event is May 22.
Tuckaway evans
scholars Day
Sept. 24, Tuckaway Country
Club, Franklin, Wis.
The event raised $35,000 for
Evans Scholars, with more
than 90 golfers participating.
The dinner featured
Wisconsin Scholar Jake
Blatnik and event founder
Gordon Kress as speakers.
The 2012 event is Sept. 18.
West Bend Evans
Scholars Classic
June 25, West Bend Country
Club, West Bend, Wis.
The 31st annual event raised
$25,000 for the Marquette
Scholarship House
restoration. This brings the
event’s cumulative total to
more than $1 million overall.
The 2012 event is June 23.
*This is not a complete listing of Evans Scholars fund-raisers. For
more details on these events, including photo galleries, please
visit www.wgaesf.org.
Winter 2011-12
13

2011 Chip Beck Scholar winners
Celebrating
20 years of
Chip Beck
Scholars
14 The WGA Evans Scholars Magazine

“The Chip Beck Evans Scholarship is something I’m going to be proud
of long after my playing days are over. Golf has been good to me, and I
welcome the opportunity to give something back to the game.”
WGA Director Chip Beck
Chip Beck’s generosity funds PGA TOUR,
PGA of America Evans Scholarship awards
Twenty years ago, Chip Beck became just the second golfer to shoot a 59 on the PGA TOUR.
It happened at Sunrise Golf Club in Las Vegas, in the third round of the 1991 Las Vegas
Invitational.
The legacy of that historic moment continues to live on today. With the $1 million bonus paid by
Hilton Hotels following that round, Beck, a four-time winner on TOUR, helped establish the Chip
Beck Evans Scholarships in 1992, along with PGA TOUR Charities and PGA of America.
At Beck’s request, PGA TOUR Charities and PGA of America, each of which received $250,000 of
the bonus, earmarked their share for the Chip Beck Evans Scholarships.
Each year, two outstanding Evans Scholars are selected as Chip Beck Scholars. In the past two
decades, 40 students have earned Scholarships in Beck’s name, including this year’s Justin Cruz, a
freshman at Northwestern University, and Kamryn Klawitter, a freshman at Indiana University.
“Caddying has truly been a life-changing experience for me,” Cruz said. “I will never forget the
life lessons I have learned on the golf course and continue to learn in school. For all of these new
opportunities, including being honored as a Chip Beck Scholar, I am forever grateful.”
Winter 2011-12
15

2011 BMW
Championship
September 12-18
Cog Hill Golf and Country Club
Lemont, Illinois
16 The WGA Evans Scholars Magazine

Justin Rose reacts
after sealing his
victory on the 18th
hole on the final
day of the BMW
Championship.
Below: with his
wife, Kate, and their
son, Leo.
Justin Rose
Winner, 2011 BMW Championship
Age: 31
Born: Johannesburg, South Africa
Home: England
Official World Golf Ranking: 16
On his son running onto the green after his victory:
“That’s a moment I dream about. I think that is one of the most special moments
because the family live and die by it as much as you do. They sacrifice as much as I
sacrifice, so to share that as a family is a very special moment.”
On where the win stacks up in his career:
“I think the manner in which I won this tournament, it rates as high as the best
tournament I’ve ever won, just by going wire to wire. To win at this level with this
strength of field wire to wire gives me a lot of confidence, and it’s a big step up.
Obviously being a playoff event puts it in that special category of tournaments.”
On his mental attitude:
“I think mentally, this is the best I’ve ever been in terms of being very under control
with my emotions, being very calm, being very aware of the situation and feeling
comfortable with it. As it turned out, I may have had better ball-striking weeks as a
whole, but I think this week as a competitor and as a professional, it was probably my
best-ever performance.”
Winter 2011-12
17

Dustin Johnson and
Ernie Banks at a
media appearance at
Wrigley Field. Below:
Scholars on hand to
assist.
‘Living the dream’
During the week of the BMW Championship, it’s all fun and
games for the Evans Scholars who get the chance to go behindthe-scenes
of a first-class golf championship. From racing cars
at the Autobahn in Joliet and meeting celebrities like Cubs
Hall of Famer Ernie Banks and actor Adrian Grenier from HBO’s
Entourage, to announcing the names of the pro golfers on the
18th hole, Scholars get a rare glimpse of how much, well, fun,
a major golf playoff event can be. “We’re pretty much living the
From top: Northwestern Scholar Katie Johnson chats with
ESPN’s Michael Wilbon during the pairings party at Chicago’s
Second City; Missouri Scholar Haelena Schwemmer, with
pro Sean O’Hair, is the 2011 BMW Hole-in-One Scholar;
National Committee members announce the players on the
18th hole; and Scholars Johnson and Jessica Dillard caddie for
Entourage’s Adrian Grenier during the Wednesday Pro-Am.
dream,” says Northwestern Scholar Jessica Dillard, who last
year got the chance to do a live interview with Phil Mickelson.
“I’m always amazed at the incredible opportunities I receive
through the Evans Scholarship.”
18 The WGA Evans Scholars Magazine

Evans Alumni
caddie for
guests in the
2011 Gardner
Heidrick Pro-Am
on Wednesday,
Sept. 14, of
the BMW
Championship,
donating their
tips back to the
Evans Scholars
Foundation.
Alumni caddie in Pro-Am
For the sixth consecutive year, Evans Scholar Alumni volunteered to caddie for the Pro-Am
players in the Gardner Heidrick Pro-Am on Sept. 14, with caddie flat rate and tips to the
Danny Noonan Tip Jar totaling nearly $18,000, part of the more than $1 million raised for
the Evans Scholars by the 2011 Pro-Am.
Having Alumni and Scholars walk with each group provides a unique opportunity to
share their personal Evans Scholar success stories with the amateurs and PGA TOUR
professionals, WGA leaders say.
BMW Hole-in-One Scholar
Haelena Schwemmer, a
freshman at the University of
Missouri, attended the BMW
Championship as the 2011
Hole-in-One Scholar.
Following pro Sean O’Hair’s
hole-in-one at the 2010 BMW
Championship, BMW donated
a four-year scholarship to the
Evans Scholars Foundation.
Schwemmer, a mechanical
engineering major, was
selected as the recipient.
“A little over four years ago, I
began caddying,” she said. “I
did not know where it would
take me, who I would meet or
what I would learn. So far, I’ve
had some great experiences
that will last a lifetime.”
A look ahead: the 2012 BMW Championship
Tickets for the 2012 BMW Championship,
set for Sept. 3-9 at Crooked Stick Golf
Club near Indianapolis, are now on sale.
“We have received tremendous support
from the Indianapolis community,” said
WGA’s Vice President of Tournaments
Vince Pellegrino.
Visit www.bmwtickets.com to buy your tickets today!
2014 BMW Championship
Cherry Hills Country Club near Denver, Colorado, will
host the 2014 BMW Championship. The club has hosted
two U.S. Opens and two PGA Championships, a U.S.
Women’s Open and a U.S. Senior Open. In 2012, it will
also host its second U.S. Amateur.
Winter 2011-12
19

Paying
Top: WGA Director Gary Planos
(Ill. ’75) runs the range operations.
From left: Colleen Lee (Ill. ’01)
counts tickets and revenue; Dr.
Kevin Most (Kans. ’80) provides
medical assistance; Mel Krejci
(Ill. ’60) oversees the ShotLink
scoring; Rene Twardowski (Pur.
’08) and Lisa Ephraim (Ill. ’10)
help out in player hospitality; WGA
Director Tom Mallman (Wis. ’62)
greets guests at the entrance; and
Katie Sargent (Ill. ’02) lends a
hand in the media center.
20 The WGA Evans Scholars Magazine

it forward
Evans Scholar Alumni know better than anyone the impact the Evans Scholarship
has in changing lives. That’s why, each year, many Alumni return to the BMW
Championship — the signature fund-raising event for the Evans Scholars
Foundation — to volunteer their time and skills. From caddying in the Pro-Am
to assisting reporters in the media center, Alumni have always known the real
score: that getting the scholarship made all the difference in their lives.
“It’s important for me to give back in any way possible to the Foundation that changed my life.
Without the Evans Scholarship, I would not be the person I am today. I am eternally grateful.
I truly feel this is the best scholarship organization out there, and each year, I love to be part of
the tournament that raises funds to help keep Chick’s dream alive.”
-Rene Twardowski, player hospitality chair
Winter 2011-12
21

Scholars
news & notes
2011
Evans Scholars Expo
The annual Evans Scholars
Expo allows current Scholars a
chance to network and meet with
successful Alumni and Directors
BMW continued its Evans Scholars Internship Experience
in 2011, The offering third annual Grant Stoffle, Evans Scholars who will Expo be a was senior at the lower left, a Minnesota Evans Alum and WGA
University held of the Illinois, night the before chance the to 60th assist annual the BMW and Director who is the vice president of research
Mini Summer regional Outing teams at in Medinah coordinating Country events Club and in day-to-day and development at General Mills. He spoke
activities, Medinah, as well Ill., host as marketing of the 2012 initiatives Ryder Cup. surrounding about the his experiences and keys to success in
BMW Championship.
the business world.
The Aug. 7 Expo gave current Scholars a
“I am chance extremely to network excited, and and meet I am with looking successful forward to putting Scholars had the option to attend two
Alumni and WGA Directors, who helped lead sessions, with freshmen required to attend a
“Golf
sessions
has
ranging
been a
from
huge
creating
part of
a resume
my life,
and
and having
New Scholar orientation.
the opportunity networking to online be involved to giving life with advice the on planning of the
More than 500 Evans Scholars, Alumni and
BMW Championship topics including money is amazing.” matters and housing.
WGA Directors attended the Evans Scholars
The featured speaker was BMW John intern Mendesh, Grant Stoffle Summer Outing the following day at Medinah.
2011
Summer Outing
Highlights: With a 3.45 GPA, Northwestern
Evans Scholars won the James E. Moore
Scholarship Trophy (below), which honors the
chapter with the highest GPA. The top two
awards in the Evans Scholars Program went to
George Witchek of Illinois and Sean McNulty of
Marquette, (right).
Leader
of the Year
Winner: Sean McNulty
Club: Midlothian Country Club
School: Marquette University
“To be named Scholar of the Year is a
phenomenal honor. Evans Scholars embody
the adage ‘to whom much is given, much
is expected,’ continually giving it new life
through their actions and generosity.”
Winner: George Witchek
Club: River Forest Country Club
School: University of Illinois
“Being named Leader of the Year is really
humbling. I am looking forward to giving
back to the program and being there for
new and upcoming Scholars, just as so
many people were there for me.”
Scholar
of the Year
For more on Witchek and McNulty, visit www.wgaesf.org
22 The WGA Evans Scholars Magazine

alumni profile
At right, from top: Mary
Petrovich (Mich. ’85)
meeting with WGA
Chairman Roger Mohr;
speaking at the podium;
and showing her gift, a
Michigan jersey, with
WGA’s Jim Moore.
“I know how blessed I’ve been”
2011
Speakers
Forum
When:
Thursday,
Nov. 10
Where:
Union League of
Chicago
Speaker:
Mary Petrovich
(Mich. ’85), past
CEO of AxleTech
and senior
advisor at The
Carlyle Group
It’s still hard for Mary Petrovich (Mich. ’85) to
believe how it all turned out: overcoming humble
beginnings and personal tragedy to be named
senior advisor to The Carlyle Group’s industrial and
transportation group, a prestigious role she began
in July. She now joins past CEOs of IBM and ITT
Industries and the SEC Chairman, to name a few, as a
senior advisor to the $150 billion global private equity
firm. “Yeah, I worked really hard,” she said, “but I’m
humble enough to know how blessed I’ve been.”
Petrovich spoke about her caddie days and rapid rise
in the business world at the 2011 Evans Scholars
Speakers Forum on Nov. 10 at the Union League of
Chicago. The second oldest of eight children growing
up in the Detroit area, she faced tragedy in first grade
when her father died suddenly. Having to help raise
her siblings under tight financial circumstances, she
found school to be her “vacation.”
Petrovich was shy and insecure, but also determined
— she became the first female caddie at Franklin
Hills Country Club, despite some initial protests. That
exposed her to successful people and one female
golfer in particular who encouraged her to apply for
the Evans Scholarship. “I never knew anyone who
went to college,” she said. “That encouragement was
very powerful. You are more influential than I think
you can realize.”
At Michigan, she was one of the first female Scholars
to live in a Scholarship House and one of only a few
females majoring in engineering. She eventually
earned an MBA from Harvard Business School before
taking over as CEO of AxleTech in 2002, transforming
a near-bankrupt company into the fastest-growing
and most profitable business in its industry.
In her personal life and career, she often took the road
less traveled, “but it worked out really well for me,”
said Petrovich, who also spoke about the importance
of giving back. “We have a responsibility to help
others to have the same opportunities we had,” she
said.
Winter 2011-12
23

“I have seen the benefits of the Evans
Scholars Foundation. I love what they do
and the opportunities they provide.”
Getty Images
Mike Magluilo (Ill. ’93) and his wife, Noelle, at The Noble Path School they helped open in Cambodia. Above: Scarves sold to
help raise funds to build the school; children enjoying a computer; and Magluilo speaking at the school’s opening ceremony.
24 The WGA Evans Scholars Magazine

a
commitment
to
compassion
by Nicole Thompson and Amy Boerema Fuller
When Mike Magluilo (Ill. ’93) was in eighth grade, he nearly died.
His appendix had ruptured, and he spent a month in the hospital as tearful family and friends stood by his
bedside each day. He was so sick that when it came time for surgery, his pastor read him his last rites.
During that stay, he befriended a boy about his age, who had Down syndrome. The boy would stop by his room each
day and ask, “Mike, you doin’ OK” Magluilo was struck by his compassion.
Magluilo eventually recovered, but the hospital experience had transformed him. Since then, he has dedicated
his life to spreading that same kind of compassion shown to him — not just by his friend, but by all the doctors
and nurses who helped him recover — through volunteering as a student and starting his own business tutoring
disadvantaged children. His main project, however, has taken place halfway around the world, where he and his
wife, Noelle, have created a non-profit to bring education to rural Cambodia.
He has found that being compassionate with others results in kindness in return. This past summer, the couple faced
every parent’s worst nightmare when their only child, a four-month-old son, tragically died from SIDS. The kindness
of strangers helped him and his wife deal with their loss and renewed their commitment to helping others.
continued
Winter 2011-12
25

a
commitment
to compassion
Even as a child, Magluilo was concerned about others.
One of his mom’s favorite stories of her son is on his first day
of kindergarten, when he noticed a boy on the sidewalk crying
as his mom drove away. Magluilo approached and offered him
a grape. The boy, who would turn out to be one of his closest
friends, followed him into school.
There were plenty of times, though, when Magluilo was the one
in need of help. Growing up in La Grange, Ill., money was tight.
He was the last kid in school to get a VCR or cable TV. As a teen,
he had the oldest car, and it never worked right. Every time he
asked for something, he heard “no,” or “you can save for it.”
“Since I was 5, every gift was put into savings for college,”
Magluilo thrived. He was elected president of both his chapter
and the Evans Scholars National Committee, composed of the
top leaders across all 14 chapters. In 1992, he was named the
national Evans Scholars Leader of the Year, with WGA leaders
describing him as “having established one of the finest records of
leadership in the history of the Program.”
After graduation, he became a successful investment banker,
traveling from Chicago to Denver and London. Then, one vacation
changed everything.
Magluilo and his wife, Noelle, traveled to Cambodia in December
2008, where they discovered a world nothing like their own
— fraught with poverty, devastated by genocide, starved of
education. And yet somehow, full of hope. “We were touched
by the people there, inspired by how hard they worked and how
optimistic they were about the future,” Magluilo said.
When they returned, they decided to turn that hope into reality.
Magluilo said. “It was frustrating, but it taught me good lessons
in frugality and work ethic.”
He perfected that work ethic at La Grange Country Club, where
he began caddying at 12 years old. He worked his way from a
“sub-B caddie” — having to choose between lunch and a tip —
to an always in-demand “honor” caddie.
Whether he was waiting for a loop or carrying a bag, Magluilo
found himself surrounded by hard-working professionals — and
mentors. These people, he says, taught him about the kind of
person he could someday be.
“It was inspiring to see how
grateful these kids were for
the gift of education. It’s like
getting your acceptance letter
as an Evans Scholar. They were
given a chance and had no idea
what awaited them.”
-Mike Magluilo
They helped him
apply for the Evans
Scholarship. The
day he received the
acceptance envelope
was a defining moment
in his life, one that
showed “hard work can
really pay off and lead
to a good break,” he
says. “I hadn’t had many
of those.”
As an Evans Scholar at
the University of Illinois,
Immediately, their thoughts went to education. “My experience
as an Evans Scholar was a big part of that,” he said. “Someone
gave me an opportunity for education that I wouldn’t have had
otherwise.”
The couple began their own project, Classrooms for Cambodia
(www.classroomsforcambodia.com), aiming to build a middle
school in Ra, a rural village 70 km west of Phnom Penh. To do
this, they needed to raise $19,000. “We were doing it just as
the economy was tanking,” Noelle recalls. “In the early couple
months, we thought we might not reach the goal.”
So they got creative. Noelle sold scarves and bags made by
Cambodian amputees; small fund-raisers were held to raise
money, like Magluilo’s friends sponsoring him to grow a
mustache. They reached out through social media. Eventually,
they hit a tipping point.
After nine months, they had raised $30,000, and less than a year
after the project began, The Noble Path School opened. It was
the first middle school in the rural village since the 1970s.
That December, the couple visited the school for the first time.
They were greeted by 150 people, many of whom had never seen
Americans. “They treated us like celebrities,” Magluilo said. “It
was very humbling. The adults in the crowd grew up without a
chance for an education. And these kids choose to be there. It’s a
chance to get out of the path of poverty.”

y the numbers
27% of Cambodians attend
secondary school
Cambodia is one of the poorest countries in Asia, with
a third of the population living on less than $1 per day
The ratio of boys to girls attending
secondary school in Cambodia is 3:1
Want to help Visit classroomsforcambodia.com
More than 200 Cambodian children are
getting a secondary education each year,
thanks to Classrooms for Cambodia
From left: Cambodian children jump rope at the
opening of The Noble Path School; Magluilo
hands out school supplies to new students;
Magluilo finishes a bike race in France to
raise money for Classrooms for Cambodia;
Noelle with Cambodian artisans who make silk
scarves (pictured throughout), another project
fund-raiser; Sam, the couple’s child, who is now
honored through scholarships in his name.
After handing out school supplies, the couple played jump rope
and practiced English with the students. “It was so fun to see
these kids having a ball with the simplest activities,” Magluilo
said. “When we gave out school materials, they protected (their
pencils) from the moment they got them.”
Many students had never seen a computer. Now there are three
at the school. “It’s the first time I heard the word ‘Internet’ from a
student,” said Peng Ty, an employee of American Assistance for
Cambodia, Classrooms for Cambodia’s partner charity.
“It was inspiring to see how grateful these kids were for the gift
of education,” Magluilo said. “It’s like getting your acceptance
letter as an Evans Scholar. They were given a chance and had no
idea what awaited them.”
Now settled in Colorado, Magluilo continues to pursue his
passion for empowering youth through education. Upon returning
to Denver in 2009, he started a tutoring business. About 20
percent of the students are low-income, at-risk kids. By early
2011, the business was profitable and serving 200 students.
Magluilo sold his company in August 2011 to a colleague and
now is exploring his next options professionally.
Earlier this year, tragedy put the couple in need of compassion
themselves. On June 7, they lost their only child, son Sam, to
sudden infant death syndrome, at four months old.
“It’s unexplainable,” Noelle said. “You feel like you’ve been given
the best gift on earth, and it was just taken away. The most difficult
thing we’ve ever had to do was just survive.”
The support of friends, family and even strangers, has been
invaluable. “It has been hugely powerful in giving us strength,”
Magluilo says. He recalls asking the doctor at the hospital, “Where
do we go from here Do we just get in our car, drive home and have
dinner”
“That’s exactly what you do,” the doctor said. “And you probably
spend the night crying. But you’ve got to leave here and take the
first step forward.”
The couple decided the only way they could deal with their son’s
death was to confront the pain head on. “We have no intention
of hiding from this tragedy,” he says. “We talk about Sam all the
time. Facing the reality of his loss makes us cry every day, but we’ll
be stronger in the long run by looking it in the eye as opposed to
distancing ourselves or otherwise suppressing the pain.”
Now, they are working to keep Sam’s memory alive. Among other
fund-raisers, they established scholarships for two students in
Cambodia to attend high school. They are named the “Baby Sam
Scholarships.”
“(Sam’s) death underscores how important it is to us to make the
rest of our lives fulfilling,” Magluilo said. “We’ve got a good start
on that.”
Winter 2011-12
27

alumni profile
A dream comes true
A Wisconsin Alum fulfills a longtime passion
by caddying and playing at the storied Augusta
National Golf Club, home of the Masters
Bramson on
Augusta’s 10th
tee before
playing 54 holes
15-hour car ride from his home in Madison, Wis., and Todd Bramson (Wis.
A ’83) is in paradise. It is there, at Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia, that
the Wisconsin Evans Scholar Alum has found a way to golf at the home of The
Masters Tournament through one of his oldest pastimes: caddying.
Membership at the historic club is strictly by invitation, with notable members
including Bill Gates and Warren Buffett. “There was no way I’d ever know anyone who would invite me, so
in 2007, out of the blue, I sent a letter to see how I could apply for a job as a caddie,” said Bramson, 50.
After a rigorous interview process, including several in-person trips, the former Westmoor Country Club
caddie traveled to Augusta in 2008 for 35 days throughout the spring, hoping for a loop and ultimately to
participate in the end-of-the-year caddie play day.
Self-employment — Bramson is a financial planner at North Store
Resource Group — along with a supportive wife and business associates
helped cover while he was away. He estimates he spent $5,000 over seven
separate trips. “The other Augusta caddies thought I was crazy commuting
there, not even covering my expenses with my caddie fees,” he says.
Per club policy, he can’t share details about his rounds but believes
the money was well-spent. “You can’t put a price tag on relationships,
memories and building dreams,” he said. “If you have a passion, you’ll find
a way to do it.”
Bramson’s own passion for golf and caddying began as a child. He and his father, who passed away when
Bramson was 16, bonded over golf, sharing a trip to Pebble Beach the year before he died. “It’s a huge
memory and a special thing I did with my dad,” he said.
The death weighed heavily on his family. His dad had minimal life insurance, and his mom was unemployed;
chances of attending college were slim. Then Bramson, who was caddying at Westmoor in Brookfield, Wis.,
learned of the Evans Scholarship. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin in 1983 with a degree in
marketing and business. “When you’re a caddie and Scholar, you learn time management, teamwork, hard
work, goal-setting and organization” he says. “It’s been instrumental in making me who I am today.”
Since then, he has turned his family’s tragedy, and subsequent lack of financial planning, into a passion for
helping others. As a financial planner, he assists clients in achieving their financial dreams. As a consultant,
he mentors financial advisors. As a writer and speaker, he teaches and motivates others to excel.
Bramson’s own wish of playing the storied golf course paid off when he got to play not one, but three
rounds of golf in one day at caddie play day. He returned to Augusta last spring and will head back this year.
“I love being out on the golf course,” he said. “As a caddie, I’ve always liked the process of helping people
enjoy their round.”
-Jessica Dillard
“You can’t put a price tag on
relationships, memories and
building dreams. If you have
a passion, you’ll find a way.”
-Todd Bramson
28 The WGA Evans Scholars Magazine