Willowbrook senior receives Evans Scholarship for caddies

Willowbrook senior Troy Pilafas holds up the letter naming him as a recipient of the Evans Scholarship, which is awarded to individuals with a strong caddie record, excellent academics, demonstrated financial need and outstanding character. Pilafas has been a caddie at Butterfield Country Club in Oakbrook for five years.

Willowbrook senior Troy Pilafas was recently named as a recipient of the Evans Scholarship for caddies.

According to the Evans Scholarship website (http://tinyurl.com/ptoqyxb), applicants must have a strong caddie record, excellent academics, demonstrated financial need and outstanding character. The scholarship is awarded from the Evans Scholars Foundation, a charitable trust that provides full, four-year tuition and housing college scholarships to deserving caddies.

Pilafas has been a caddie at Butterfield Country Club in Oakbrook for five years. He said he plays golf recreationally during the summer with friends and plans to continue with the sport in the future.

“What I really enjoy about my job is not the money, but the experiences and lessons I have learned from the successful individuals around me,” Pilafas said. “All of them have pushed me to do my best. Since I started at Butterfield, I have placed as a top-three caddie every single year, and I continue to come back for more. I love meeting these members and other caddies and getting to grow a connection with each and every one of them. I hope to continue this until I’m able to obtain a fulltime job after college. My absolute favorite part about being on the course caddying is when there is a competitive level to the game. During tournaments and events, I feel as though I play a big role in how the golfer plays. I love making calls and proving I'm trustworthy as a caddie toward one’s game.”

Pilafas said he was thrilled when he found out on Nov. 25 that he had received the scholarship. He’s waiting to hear to which college he has been accepted, and he plans to major in mechanical engineering.

“Receiving this (award) was an incredible day,” Pilafas said. “I could not have been happier, and it really helped out my family hearing the news.”

Pilafas added he couldn’t have achieved this level of success without the support he received at Willowbrook.

“Willowbrook taught me a lot of social skills I hadn't developed completely before high school,” Pilafas said. “With the mix of caddying in my summers and the friends I had at school during the year, I really started to thrive socially.”