Lee Twins are a Win-Win!

Ada and Annabelle Lee are the pride of Goat Hill Park and the recent recipients of Evans Scholarships.

Welcome to the intersection of how and why golf is such an incredible sport and what’s possible when a community asset nurtures the future by investing in kids. 

These roads have led to Ada and Annabelle Lee, twin sisters and daughters of Vietnamese refugees, who are currently enrolled in the University of Washington on full scholarships, both studying to be engineers. 

They got there on their own narrow shoulders and because of people like their parents, the late and great Chick Evans, John Ashworth, Will Kropp and many more.

Let’s start with Charles “Chick” Evans Jr., who, in 1916, was the first amateur to win the U.S. Open and U.S. Amateur in the same year. And he did it with seven hickory clubs. He had a lot of other incredible accomplishments on and off the course, but growing up, Evans wasn’t able to afford college. His most incredible accomplishment? Making sure others could. 

The Western Golf Association has supported the Evans Scholarship for almost 100 years. Together, they’ve sent over 12,000 kids/caddies to college on full scholarships. And there are another 1,190 currently in the program at 24 universities throughout the country.

Now to take a left turn into Goat Hill Park, an 18-hole, 4,500-yard municipal golf course in Oceanside, Calif., managed by John Ashworth, who humbly refers to himself as the “caretaker.” Ashworth grew up playing what was formerly Center City Golf Course. Ten years ago, he rallied some loyal locals and saved the course from being sold by the city and redeveloped by a billionaire. 

Ashworth, his scrappy maintenance crew and several of those locals have famously restored and revitalized an underachieving asset by tirelessly and selflessly investing blood, sweat and a variety of resources into making it a thriving success. 

Best greens in San Diego? It’s in the conversation. And it’s a $35 green fee.

A little over five years ago, one of those investments Ashworth and the Goat made was into a junior caddie and leadership academy. With the help of Will Kropp, a former All-American from Oklahoma, who oversees the caddie academy, and the annual Wishbone Brawl, which is the vehicle to raise money to subsidize the program, they had over 30 junior caddies milling about in bibs this summer, all able and willing to carry a bag. 

For each bag, the kid gets a subsidized $50, the player has the option to tip, but they’re also asked to engage with the caddie, mentor them if and when they can, but most of all, be a good role model.

What’s the Wishbone Brawl, you ask?

It’s OK, there’s no such thing as a stupid question.

In the past, it has been notable major champions like Xander Schauffele, Geoff Ogilvy and Fred Couples competing in an annual exhibition match in which they use persimmon woods, there are no ropes, kids are free and dogs are encouraged. 

In short, it’s a festival of goodness and what many insiders consider one of the greatest events in golf. And there are a lot of industry insiders who frequently roam the Goat.

“The Wishbone is one big backyard barbecue,” says Ashworth. “Every year it just seems to come together, unplanned and organic. But it’s always a blast and each year it gets bigger and has its own highlight reel.”

Besides Ogilvy’s walk-off ace in a playoff in 2019 (above), another notable highlight is that in 2023, the Western Golf Association acknowledged Goat’s junior caddie program as a feeder system of their eligible scholars. 

We’re back to that intersection again…

In 2024, the Lee twins became the first two recipients of Evans Scholarships from that program. 

As Fred Couples says at the start of the feature above, and after the Lee twins carried his bag in a Wishbone Brawl: “My partner and I had the best two caddies in San Diego.” 

Dots connected. Lives impacted. 

“It’s tears of joy every day,” says Tony Lee, the twins’ father. And he’s not alone in shedding those tears.

“To watch Ada and Annabelle go from shy and awkward 13-year-olds to confident 18-year-olds who not only became leaders in the program, but also in this community, makes all the effort this past ten years well worth it,” says Ashworth. “The Goat is a family and we all feel like they are our kids who’ve done us proud.” 

This year’s Wishbone Brawl is Nov. 23 and will feature Bill Murray, the golf-loving celebrity who is friends with Ashworth and has invested in Goat Hill Park. Murray will play with Leta Lindley, the reigning U.S. Senior Women’s Open Champion who grew up playing her junior golf at Goat Hill Park.

You can’t make it up! 

The second pairing in the scramble format will be Kelly Slater, the 11-time world surf champion who also loves golf, Goat Hill Park and Ashworth. 

The G.O.A.T. at the Goat!

Slater will team up with Jasmine Leovao, another product of Goat’s community and caddie academy who’s having a successful golf career at Long Beach State. 

Chris Riley, a former PGA Tour player and Ryder Cupper (2004) who’s preparing to try and qualify for the Champion’s Tour, will be paired with Janae Leovao, Jasmine’s twin sister and teammate at Long Beach State.

Interested in getting involved or supporting the cause? It’s understandable. 

Tickets are $50 for adults, kids and dogs are free. For more details and access to an online auction, click here. All proceeds go to the North County Junior Golf Association and Goat’s Junior Caddie & Leadership Academy.

The Lee twins’ wish has been granted. Who’s next?