SAN BERNARDINO, CA — July 30, 2025 — Thirteen-year-old Camilla “Cami” Corrie, longtime First Tee – Inland Empire and LPGA*USGA Girls Golf participant, recently earned a once-in-a-lifetime spot at the “Share My Passion” Girls Golf clinic hosted by the ANNIKA Foundation at La Costa Omni Resort,
led by LPGA legend, Annika Sorenstam.
“I found out there was a clinic with Annika Sorenstam through Girls Golf. My first thought was, ‘There will be so many girls trying for this opportunity, but I will just try my best to make a good video to send in and see what happens.'”
Her efforts paid off and she was one of just 40 girls chosen to attend.
The clinic proved even sweeter by the fact that Cami was 12 at the time of the clinic — the same age Annika was when she picked up the game. “My favorite story Annika told us is how she got started in golf…her parents split their irons in half to save money. Annika had odds, and her sister had evens. Coincidentally, I was 12 at the time of the clinic, and my mom and I had just done the same thing,” Cami said.
“It was awesome to be able to relate to Annika.”
Although Cami hadn’t known much about Annika before applying, she quickly did her homework. “I learned that she is basically the Tiger Woods of the LPGA,” she explained.
Watching Annika teach in person was unforgettable. “I liked what she said about dividing your playing area into a think box and a play box,” Cami relays. “You stand in the think box behind the ball prior to your shot and consider everything about the shot you are going to make, from the distance, the lie, the wind, your aim, your swing, and most importantly, visualizing a perfect shot. Then you step into your play box and go for it without second guessing!”
The experience will likely stay with Cami for a lifetime. “I felt shocked when I got chosen, and it was a big confidence booster,” she said.
“The experience taught me to always try my best and never give up…to be proud of what you have created for yourself.”
Though her goals remain the same — playing in high school and college — Cami says it “feels even more achievable now.” And she credits First Tee – Inland Empire and Girls Golf for helping shape the mindset that got her there. “They teach golf, but they also teach how to become a well-rounded person…First Tee IE and Girls Golf has sculpted me to be a better version of myself.”
From a split set of irons to a shared moment with a golf icon, Cami’s experience is a reminder of what access, mentorship and opportunity can unlock — and why First Tee – Inland Empire continues to open doors for kids with big dreams and even bigger potential.