Ramirez Comes From Nowhere to Share Title with Chavez

GOLETA — Michael Chavez of Santa Barbara San Marcos and Nick Ramirez of La Verne Damien shared the Southern Section boys’ individual golf title Monday at Sandpiper Golf Course, but as players they share little else.

Chavez, a junior, is something of a prodigy. His father is a club professional, and last weekend he was second at an American Junior Golf Assn. event in Sacramento.

Ramirez, a senior, is a competitive neophyte. He only plays golf regularly during the high school season and before Monday had never broken par for 18 holes.

None of their differences mattered, however. Chavez and Ramirez each made a late charge to finish with a two-under-par 70 on Sandpiper’s tricky 7,068-yard layout next to the Pacific Ocean.

Oxnard Santa Clara senior Tim Wren was the only other player under par, shooting 71 to finish third. Jin Park and Philip Lee, a junior and sophomore from Sunny Hills, shot 72 to tie for fourth.

Chavez, who has finished second, first and second in the last three Santa Barbara City championships, birdied the 13th, 14th and 16th holes--and bogeyed the 15th--to make his run.

Ramirez started his with a four-foot putt for birdie on the 599-yard par-five 15th. Then after nearly hitting his drive on 16 into a hazard and hitting his approach shot 35 yards short of the green, he chipped in for birdie. He made a 10 footer on 17 for another birdie.

Ramirez, who said his best previous score for 18 holes was 73, seemed a bit stunned by his finish. During the off-season, he plays once a week. “If that,” he said. “All these guys play everyday.”