CHAMP: Ramirez hopes golfer’s story is just beginning

and frustrations. An element of being Champ’s mentor was to help guide him through those emotions and settle his nerves.

Champ’s nerves settled in his American Junior Golf Association tournament debut in 2012, at the Hunter Mahan tournament in Texas.

At 16 years old, Champ tied for second place, which brought him a certain amount of notoriety among golf circles and perhaps more importantly, universities.

Champ eventually received a full-ride scholarship to Texas A&M University. Ramirez said it was at Texas A&M where Champ met one of the most important figures in his golf career, head coach J.T. Higgins.

Entering his senior year at Texas A&M, Champ continues to develop, said Ramirez. Champ has also received the benefit of working with golf instructor Sean Foley, who has coached Tiger Woods, among others.

“I try to live my life with minimal amount of expectations,” Ramirez said. “But knowing what I know about Cameron and the people around him, he is in a place to learn, grow and perfect. At this point in his career, if he starts to perfect his wedge and approach shots, he can go wherever he wants to go.”

Ramirez said Champ’s story is in the beginning stages of being great and one that many of the children he mentors can draw from.

With his own lifelong passion for the game of golf, Ramirez has mentored boys and girls for more than a decade. Alongside his brother and wife, they have assisted dozens of kids with swing lessons, personal club fittings and expenses to enter junior tournaments across the country.

The ultimate goal, Ramirez said, is to allow these kids an opportunity to reach college.

One of the kids they mentor, Josh Sedeno of Roseville, is a redshirt freshman with a full-ride scholarship to the University of Alabama.

Even now, Ramirez and his wife are planning a trip to Southern California to see if they find another kid to mentor.