PHILADELPHIA, PA – J. Wood Platt, one of the most influential figures in the history of the Golf Association of Philadelphia, was inducted into the Caddie Hall of Fame during a ceremony on Tuesday, Sept. 4, ahead of the 2018 BMW Championship at Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Pa.
Platt, who died in 1959 at the age of 61, was honored for devoting his life to the game of golf through his support of the role of youth caddies. GAP President Quinn Spitzer and Platt Trust Chairman Jonathan Warner attended the event at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia and accepted a bronze caddie statuette on Platt’s behalf.
After a decorated amateur golf career, Platt worked with GAP to found the J. Wood Platt Caddie Scholarship Trust in 1958. Since then, more than 3,500 young men and women have received $21 million in financial aid. During the 2017-18 academic year, 165 caddies received more than $1.15 million in aid.
For the past five years, the J. Wood Platt Caddie Scholarship Trust has partnered with the Western Golf Association’s Evans Scholars Foundation to award full tuition and housing Platt Evans Scholarships to caddies from the Philadelphia area. This fall, nine Platt Evans Scholars from GAP clubs are enrolled at Penn State University.
Proceeds from the 2018 BMW Championship, which will be played Sept. 6-9, will be used to fund Platt Evans Scholarship and establish a Scholarship House at Penn State.
“J. Wood Platt’s devotion to youth caddying has had a life-changing impact on thousands of Philadelphia-area caddies, past and present,” said Frank Morley, the chairman of the WGA, which administers the Caddie Hall of Fame. “His famous phrase, ‘Give them all a chance,’ spoke to the promise he believed all young caddies held if they were given the opportunity to earn a quality education.”
In addition to being a tireless advocate for the role of caddies in the game of golf, Platt was one of the premier players of his era.
His seven GAP Amateur championships remain a record, and he captured 11 GAP major titles during a career that spanned decades. He has the distinction of winning the inaugural USGA U.S. Senior Amateur Championship, defeating George Studinger, 5&4, at Belle Meade Country Club in Nashville, Tenn., in 1955.
“J. Wood Platt generously volunteered his time and funds to enhance the game of golf. It is an honor for him to be inducted into the Caddie Hall of Fame, joining Charles “Chick” Evans and Francis Ouimet. These three men were teammates and competitors on the golf course, forever remembered as advocates for caddies to earn a college education,” Jonathan Warner said.
Administered by the WGA since 2011, The Caddie Hall of Fame highlights the tradition of caddying by recognizing individuals who have used their caddie experiences as a steppingstone for future success, have devoted their lives to the game of golf through caddying or have supported the role of caddies.
Past inductees include Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson, Charles “Chick” Evans, Francis Ouimet, Steve Williams, Jim “Bones” Mackay, the Murray Brothers and Peter Ueberroth.
About the Platt Evans Scholarship
Established by famed amateur golfer Charles Chick Evans Jr., the Evans Scholars Foundation provides full housing and tuition scholarships to high-achieving caddies across the country. The Program, which is supported by the Western Golf Association, is funded by contributions from more than 31,800 Evans Scholars Par Club members, including Evans Scholars Alumni, as well as proceeds from the BMW Championship. Since the Program’s inception in 1930, more than 10,600 caddies nationwide have graduated as Evans Scholars. To learn more, visit www.wgaesf.org.
About the J. Wood Platt Caddie Scholarship Trust
The J. Wood Platt Caddie Scholarship Trust provides annual scholarship grants of up to $10,000. Currently there are 165 Platt Scholars. In the 2017-18 academic year, the Trust awarded more than $1 million, thanks to the generosity of golfers from greater Philadelphia.
The J. Wood Platt Caddie Scholarship Trust, founded in 1958, receives contributions from more than 4,000 golfers and businesses each year. The Trust has awarded college scholarships to more than 3,500 deserving golf caddies and is the official charity of the Golf Association of Philadelphia, founded in 1897. Visit www.plattcaddiescholarship.org for more information.
About the BMW Championship
The BMW Championship dates back to 1899 when it debuted as the Western Open, making it the third-oldest tournament on the PGA TOUR schedule, behind only the British Open and U.S. Open. BMW has sponsored the tournament since 2007 when it became the penultimate event of the PGA TOUR’s FedExCup Playoffs. The BMW Championship features a field of 70 players to determine the final 30 players for the FedExCup finale at the TOUR Championship in Atlanta. Since 2007, the BMW Championship has contributed more than $27 million to the Evans Scholars Foundation, the event’s charitable beneficiary. To learn more, visit www.bmwchampionship.com.
