Caddies receive scholarships from WGA Evans Scholarship Fund

MEDINAH, Ill. (WLS) -- With the BMW Championship returning to Chicago in August, we're reminded again of just how amazing the WGA Evans Scholars Foundation truly is. Two of the caddies cashing in for college gained some legendary recognition recently.

Evans Scholar Tim Arrington, who lives in Chicago's Kenwood neighborhood, received a letter from Tiger Woods just over a week ago, but it still hasn't fully set in for him.

"Seeing how my efforts reached to one of the best golfers that ever lived, it's just inspiring. Pushing me to work harder and work even harder," Arrington said. "Having this Evans Scholarship, it hasn't clicked in my mind yet that this is real."

"The Evans Scholarship is really a life changing opportunity," said Vince Pellegrino, senior vice president of the Western Golf Association. "We give about 1,000 to some of the best universities across the country."

"They were ecstatic too, and it's just for them and for me. Higher standards in our family for generations to come. So it's really awesome to set, to be the one to set that," said Dominick Longobardi.

Longobardi is headed to Northwestern University, a reality he never imagined when he arrived at Medinah Country Club for caddy training. He knew nothing about golf when he started.

"Absolutely nothing. So it's been really cool to keep coming and caddying and keep building and learning more," he said. "Coming in here every day it really just instills in you an invaluable work ethic that's going to be with me for the rest of my life, no doubt."

Since 2007 the BMW Championship has given more than $30 million to the Evans Scholar Foundation. The generosity comes full circle for Dominik as Medinah is set to host the tournament for the first time.

"It means a lot to me personally it was a life changing opportunity to get the scholarship," Pellegrino said. "To see the kids out here during championship week giving back, caddying during the Pro Am, it's really special."