With strawberry blond hair, blue eyes and a slim frame, it is impossible not to recognize the similarities between Chandler Cantwell and his father Tim. It turns out that they share more than DNA.
After initially choosing baseball as his sport, Chandler followed his father into golf at the age of 12. Long-term caddy at the famous Seminole Golf Club in Juno Beach is a PGA teaching professional at PGA National Resort.
Chandler said watching Rory McIroy win the 2019 Player Championship inspired him to take golf seriously, but his father's exposure to the sport is inevitable. Chandler started kicking off at Seminole when he was 14 years old.
"I definitely want to get into the golf industry like my dad," Chandler said. "There is always hope for professional games, which is very tough, but I want to work hard. Even if I can't play golf for a living, I still want to do this business, whether it's a club professional or working for a equipment company."
Originally, it went from post-school work to a full-time pursuit, especially when Chandler recently learned that he had received a full Evans scholarship worth more than $125,000. Chandler, an 18-year-old senior at Dwyer High School, became the fifth Seminole Boy Car, and is paid for college tuition by the Evans Scholars Foundation.
“I never thought about getting a scholarship in the first few years,” Chandler said. “It wasn’t until last year that I really matured and realized, ‘Wow, I could pay my college,’ which was amazing.”
and suitable.
Tim's grandfather, Bill Topp, was one of the founding contributors to the Evans Scholars Foundation, an Illinois-based nonprofit organization founded in 1930 by the well-known amateur Chuck "Chick" Evans. The program, run by the Western Golf Association, has helped nearly 12,000 caddies graduate based on financial needs, strong team records, academic achievements and overall characteristics.
"It was incredible for Chandler when my grandfather was one of the founders of Contribution," Tim said. "When we found out that he was selected because there were a lot of great candidates, it was humble and pure elation. He has worked a lot in his hard work over the past four years."
Being a caddie in iconic courses like Seminole is not easy, especially when you are younger than some of the clubs in the member bag. Seminole has a high-profile membership – when you think of names like Tom Brady – they place great emphasis on golf. The last thing they want is not reading well on putts or incorrect yards.
Four years ago, Chandler began his cycle at Seminole, and he felt like he was walking into the wind of the three clubs. As he lets his father guide him off the court, the caddies are alone in Seminole, where wind conditions are constantly changing in the Atlantic Ocean, not to mention the crazy puzzle vegetables keep the cycle challenging.
However, working in Seminole has many advantages. Club Chairman Jimmy Dunne, head of PGA professional Bob Ford (now retired), Matt Cahill and longtime member John Hand (who opened the Youth Caddy Program at the club and is now a director of the Western Golf Association) are very supportive of young caddy like Chandler.
"It was Seminole's honor, and they brought him under the wings," Tim said. "They beat him a little, but it matured him and drove him out of the shell.
Wearing a Seminole Caddy Bib and a place that values gaming history and tradition as much as any American club, has a lot of reputation. But with this honor, responsibility is brought.
“You want to make sure you provide the best service for members because they expect great service,” Chandler said. “This kind of stress can really help you be able to deliver under pressure.
"I feel like I'm obliged to help members play their best. When I typed the perfect reading, they did it, which is fun. You need to know what to say at the right time and get your point of view quickly. In Seminole, there's a rule: You want to achieve your point of view in about seven seconds."
Chandler and Dreyfoos senior Bella Cecere received an Evans scholarship. Cecere, the daughter of late WPBF channel 25 host Kristin Hoke, will attend the University of Delaware and attend study nursing in memory of her mom.
“As we continue to expand our chances of youth caddying in Florida, we are honored to have two academically powerful caddying receive this life-changing gift,” said Seminole member and WGA director Hand. “We hope they inspire more young people from Florida to find the best summer jobs of the time – caddying.”
Chandler will attend the University of South Carolina, where he plans to study business and try to get on the golf team. Regardless of whether he formed a team or not, Chandler was sure he would take the same golf path as his father.
“My father helped me a lot during this trip,” Chandler said.
They look the same, although Chandler's recent growth has surpassed his maturity. When asked who was tall, Tim at 6-foot-3 smiled.
"We are the same height, but I won't admit it," he said.