Soccer Player Turned Caddie Earns $125K Scholarship

Lily Shumate thought golf was too boring, so she stuck with soccer for years. Then she picked up a golf bag at Clovernook Country Club, and everything changed.

The Ross High School senior just earned the Chick Evans Scholarship, a full tuition and housing award worth $125,000 over four years. Only 380 caddies nationwide receive it each year, and Shumate is one of just 21 Ohio students selected in 2025.

Her aunt, a member at Moraine Country Club, first suggested she try caddying. Shumate found a closer opportunity at Clovernook in Cincinnati and started walking the course, carrying bags, and learning a game she once dismissed as too slow.

To qualify for the Evans Scholarship, she needed at least two years of experience, strong evaluations from club members, and more than 50 completed rounds. She also had to maintain excellent grades, demonstrate financial need, and show outstanding character.

But here's the twist: as Shumate learned golf from the ground up as a caddie, she fell in love with the sport itself. When Ross launched its first girls golf team this past season, she joined and earned first-team all-conference honors, finishing in the top five in the Southwestern Buckeye League.

Why This Inspires

What started as a part-time job became both a passion and a pathway to college. Shumate's story shows how being open to unexpected opportunities can completely redirect your future.

The Western Golf Association created the Evans Scholarship in 1930 specifically for caddies. Since then, more than 12,575 students have graduated as Evans Scholars, with 1,260 currently enrolled at 27 universities across the country.

Shumate will study finance at Miami University this fall, with plans to move into accounting. She credits her time at Ross, including dual enrollment courses with Cincinnati State and Miami, with preparing her academically and personally for what's next.

From thinking golf was too boring to earning a six-figure scholarship through the sport, Shumate proved that sometimes the path you weren't looking for is exactly where you need to be.