Lachlan Stewart and Laszlo Torok have been awarded the Chick Evans Caddie Scholarship by the Western Golf Association Scholarship Committee to attend the University of Washington-Seattle beginning in Fall 2020. These are full, four-year, tuition and housing scholarships each valued at US$200,000. Lachlan and Laszlo are caddies’ number seven and eight from Victoria Golf Club to receive this generous scholarship. The Club is truly proud of their achievement.
Lachlan is a top scholar at École Victor-Brodeur, a French-first school located in Esquimalt. Besides maintaining a 4.0 GPA in the school’s International Baccalaureate (IB) program, he volunteers at the Halt to Poverty Club, is a member of the UVic Rocketry Club and is captain of a cycling team. Now that Lachlan is about to graduate, he recognizes how the demanding IB program has pushed him academically and motivated him to work efficiently.
Lachlan first learned about the Evans Scholarship at age 12 and immediately made it a personal goal to become an engineer with the help of this scholarship. He knows that Victoria Golf Club’s Evans Caddie Program has afforded him an unparalleled environment to mature into the individual he is today. He has caddied for and learned from many adults who are very knowledgeable and successful in their fields. With guidance from Club members, he has even begun two successful entrepreneurial businesses. Lachlan counts all this a very special privilege.
Laszlo Torok too is a high-achieving student and about to graduate from St. Andrew’s Regional High School, an Independent co-educational Catholic High School in Saanich. Laszlo came with his mother and brother to Canada from Hungary in 2008. Starting a new life in Canada was a huge challenge: he spoke very little English and found that almost everything was different in Canada. Although a struggle, he managed to learn our ways and our language quickly. His Catholic upbringing and connection with the church carried him through this difficult time.
Laszlo felt that having the opportunity to receive an Evans Scholarship meant that he had to be the best of the best. So, this drove him to work very hard both in school and at the golf course. Laszlo says he is unafraid of hard work because he learned this from karate which he has done since the age of nine. Besides karate, he also finds time to chaperone at summer camps, compete in a badminton league and enjoy his hobby: military history.
Laszlo’s dream for many years has been that of becoming an aeronautical engineer. He gives a great deal of credit to Victoria Golf Club members who have encouraged him and taught him almost as much as school has. Laszlo has discovered that even in very difficult times never lose hope. He says that receiving the Evans Caddie Scholarship has opened a door he never thought would open for him—the door to fulfilling his dream.
More about the VGC Evans Caddie program: The Evans Scholars Program at Victoria Golf Club is open to promising young students from financially-challenged families; applications do not require any previous golf experience. For two to four years, participants work as remunerated caddies at the Club, usually during the summer months. The Club is accepting applications for the 2020 season until May 30. For details about the program, please visit: www.victoriagolf.com/club.
