Hard Work Keeps Paying Off For Lopez Ramirez
May 03, 2023 | Women's Golf
State sophomore continues to excel for the Bulldogs.
STARKVILLE – The pressure was intense on that mid-April afternoon.
Mississippi State sophomore golfer Julia Lopez Ramirez was closing in on the university's second-ever Southeastern Conference Individual Women's Golf Championship, and it wasn't much of a secret.
"She knew where she stood on the last two holes, so when she went to number 18, she knew that it was going to take a birdie to separate herself," head coach Charlie Ewing said.
There were about 80 yards between Lopez Ramirez's spot on the fairway and the hole. She evaluated her position, knowing that she would only have one putt to secure a birdie once making it onto the green.
So, like she'd done all day, the young star pulled back and gave it a shot. It turned out to be her best shot of the round, in fact.
"It was a par five. I had to lay up," Lopez Ramirez said. "It bounced perfectly, backspin back and I get it to a foot."
The putt was a no-doubter, and after sinking it with ease, Lopez Ramirez hugged her competition and was joined by her coaches and teammates on the green. All knew they'd just witnessed history and saw Lopez Ramirez's hard work pay off in the biggest way.
"I feel like you get there and that's what you work for, that's what you practice for," Lopez Ramirez said. "I just feel really confident in that moment."
In his second full season as the program's coach, all Ewing could do was take it all in and reflect on Lopez Ramirez's incredible round, especially her big swing on the 18th hole.
"I know that's a shot that we'll all remember for the rest of our lives," Ewing said.
So, how did one of the younger players on the course do it?
It's obvious that Lopez Ramirez has raw talent. She tied for first place in her collegiate debut and went on to finish on top of the leaderboard two additional times as a rookie eventually being named the SEC Freshman of the Year at the end of last year's spring season. The standout golfer has continued to excel as a sophomore, and the year isn't over yet.
Many get to see Lopez Ramirez's success, but what very few see is the work that she puts in behind the scenes, both physically and mentally. Like most other student-athletes, she follows a demanding workout schedule before even stepping foot on the golf course, going above and beyond to put in her best effort.
"She's really dedicated in the gym," Ewing said. "She continues to get stronger. She continues to get even more fit."
Ultimately, there's much more to golf than its physical aspect. Golfers must know what to do in every situation that they might face on the course and make plenty of quick decisions throughout a single round. In her many years of success, Lopez Ramirez has learned the ins and outs of what clubs to use, how hard to swing a chip shot and where to aim her putts on a breaking green.
"What she does really well is she has a great understanding of her own game," Ewing said. "She has a really good understanding of the game of golf as a whole, and that allows her to really think her way around the golf course very well."
Having a high golf IQ is half of the battle when it comes to playing well, and Ewing has continually been impressed with his student-athlete's knowledge.
"You walk around the golf course with her and you watch her play, and you can just see that she just knows what's going on," Ewing said.
With all of the things that she does so well, it's hard to imagine that Lopez Ramirez could find much to improve upon. There's a limit to how low a golfer can shoot, and even that requires a lot of lucky hole-in-ones. According to Ewing, however, Lopez Ramirez always aims to find something to work on, no matter how well she performs.
"She's not one that's going to get satisfied or complacent," Ewing said. "Whether she wins a tournament or she doesn't win a tournament, or she plays great or she's frustrated with the way that she plays, she's always going to come home and she's always going to get back to work with an intention of improving."
One thing that Lopez Ramirez has strived to work on over the past few months has been her short game, which requires making decisions with precision and little room for error. It's tricky to work through every scenario that she could face, but the hard work that she has put in has made it a bit easier. Through many hours spent training, she's excelled and found confidence in her approach in nearly every situation around the green.
"She's done a really good job of creating a little bit more structure there, which allows her to be a lot more clear in learning what really works well," Ewing said.
So, what's next for Lopez Ramirez?
"She'll have a summer schedule that will be pretty worldwide for her," Ewing said. "She'll play a lot of tournaments in Europe, and then she's also looking forward to the possible opportunity to play in the United States Amateur."
Lopez Ramirez will have plenty of chances over the summer to continue showcasing her incredible talent against some tough competition, but there's still unfinished business left for her and the Bulldogs this season. Mississippi State will head to the Westfield Regional as a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history next week. Contingent on a good team performance, they'll compete for the team's first-ever national championship soon afterward.
Lopez Ramirez has given much to the Mississippi State women's golf program, and there is still much for her to achieve in the coming years. Her story is far from over, and her success is just beginning.
Players Mentioned
