Evans Scholars Foundation – the gift of golf
Evans Scholars and CU Boulder alumni (left to right) Duffy Solich, Logan Byler and George Solich.
As the BMW Championship takes over Castle Pines and grabs international headlines, one young man, Logan Byler, will be front and center at the tournament – not playing, but watching. Logan understands full well how wonderful this event is, not only because it is the game he too loves to play and he excels at, but because the BMW Championship has given him and so many other young people like him the gift of pursuing dreams and continuing education.
The tournament organizer, the Western Golf Association (WGA), uses all of the proceeds from each year’s tournament to give to its philanthropy: the Evans Scholars Foundation (ESF). Golf caddies, like Logan, with limited financial means who demonstrate excellent grades and high character are candidates for an ESF scholarship.
Logan knew at the age of 12 he wanted to compete competitively in golf, and he started chasing his dream. After being chosen as an ESF scholar, Logan said, “It was the greatest gift I could ever give my parents.”
A Valor Christian High School graduate, Logan attended CU Boulder, where he recently graduated with a bachelor of science degree in architecture. He plans to continue his education and pursue his master’s degree at CU Denver.
Logan remembered the process of being selected as an ESF scholar. “The full gravity of the selection meeting hit me when I walked into the interview. It wasn’t just about how many people were there but that the room was filled with people I had caddied for, met through golf or other connections,” said Logan. “I knew that if I was able to get the scholarship, it was these people who would be investing in me.”
Golf threads throughout Logan’s family. His father, Justen, is the assistant athletic director at Valor Christian High School and coaches both the girls and boys golf teams.
Justen said it has been a surreal experience and he is grateful to the WGA for clearing an incredible pathway for his son. “As a parent, you pray when they are young about what you hope things will look like,” explained Justen. “You concern yourself with the environment that they are going to grow up in; the friends they are going to choose; the path that they will end up on.” Justen said he is incredibly proud of his son’s path.
Since 1930, the BMW Championship (formerly known as the Western Open) has generated scholarships for more than 13,500 college students. Last year’s BMW Championship raised $5.5 million for ESF, and this year, 1,130 caddies are enrolled as Evans Scholars at 24 universities nationwide.
The ESF alumni have a strong membership: the CU Boulder chapter was established in 1967 and has 540 members. Among them are Duffy and George Solich, who both attended CU as Evans Scholars. Both were instrumental in bringing the BMW Championship to Castle Pines and both have been mentors to Logan.
By Karen Leigh; photo by Terri Wiebold
