Behind every great golfer stands a coach who sees what others don’t. The subtle flaws in a swing, the tiny adjustments that transform good shots into great ones, and the confidence boost needed at exactly the right moment. These behind-the-scenes heroes can make all the difference between missing cuts and hoisting trophies. And concerning career-saving transformations, few coaching relationships showcase this better than the partnership between Jose Campra and Camilo Villegas.
That was evident today at THE PLAYERS Championship, where Camilo suddenly found himself co-leading! The secret behind this stunning turnaround? A marathon phone session with his coach, Jose Campra—who was chilling halfway across the world in Singapore.
Jose Campra: From struggling player to elite coach with a unique approach
“It was 9:00 a.m. here; it was 9:00 p.m. there,” Villegas shared during his press conference at TPC Sawgrass after lighting up the course with 5-under on his opening nine.
“We worked for a couple hours. He’s a very, very hard worker. Very few guys give more golf lessons than José Campra, and he’s always available for me, so it’s great.” Villegas specifically mentioned they were working on “a little thing on the down swing” where his “club was coming a little bit too much from the top,” causing some frustrating double-crosses.
Jose Luis Campra—or “Pepa” to his friends—isn’t your typical golf guru. The Argentine grew up playing at the same Cordoba course that blessed us with Angel Cabrera and Eduardo Romero. After getting his finance degree from Jacksonville State and taking a shot at playing professionally for five years on the Challenge Tour and PGA Tour Latin America, Campra realized his real talent was helping others unlock their potential.
Over the past 15 years, he’s built an incredible coaching philosophy based on biomechanics and his belief that “the body swings the club.” Don’t come to him expecting quick tips or band-aid fixes. When Villegas first approached him at Torrey Pines in January 2023 after missing the cut, Campra instantly recognized that while Villegas remained talented, his ball striking had deteriorated significantly.
Image Courtesy: Camilo Villegas, Instagram
“If you want me to work for you, it’s not going to be a tip. It’s going to be serious,” he told Villegas. Then he dropped this bombshell: “I think you’re going to win again on the PGA Tour.” Villegas probably thought, “Yeah, right,” but guess what?
Nine months later, in November 2023, he was holding the trophy at the Butterfield Bermuda Championship—his first win in over nine years and a particularly emotional victory coming three years after losing his 22-month-old daughter to cancer.
Campra developed a comprehensive system built into his “CampraGolf Academy” online platform. 15 detailed modules cover everything from anatomical fundamentals to specific swing mechanics, centers of motion in the golf swing, alignment principles, grip fundamentals, and common swing faults with corresponding corrections. The guy’s basically giving away his golf brain to anyone willing to learn.
Golf’s noble angel, one could say!
His student list reads like a who’s who of golf talent. Beyond Villegas, he’s coached U.S. Open champ Angel Cabrera, PGA Tour winners Emiliano Grillo and Scott Piercy, and other up-and-comers from Latin America. Being fluent in English and Spanish doesn’t hurt either, especially when helping Latin American players navigate the international scene.
But what truly sets Campra apart is his ability to operate effectively in golf’s increasingly divided landscape.
Bridging the divide between LIV Golf and the PGA Tour
Here’s where Campra’s story gets interesting. While he’s coaching PGA Tour guys like Villegas, he’s also Sebastian Munoz’s caddie on the LIV Golf circuit! Talk about keeping a foot in both worlds.
When Munoz jumped ship to LIV in February 2023, Campra went with him. The pair had already established a strong connection on the PGA Tour. “I feel like ever since he got on the bag, we’ve had good vibes,” Munoz said after firing a ridiculous 60 at the 2022 Byron Nelson tournament before their move to LIV.
When interviewed about his experience after the first LIV Golf event in Mayakoba, Campra offered a measured perspective: “It was a different experience, neither better nor worse, but definitely different.” He specifically mentioned the shotgun start format as creating a more level playing field since all competitors face the same weather conditions, unlike traditional tournaments.
While the golf world is busy picking sides in the PGA Tour versus LIV Golf battle, Campra’s just out there helping players improve their games, regardless of which tour they compete on. Yesterday, he was literally in Singapore for a LIV event while remotely coaching Villegas to a share of the lead at golf’s “fifth major.”
This cross-tour activity proves how individual coaches can transcend the organizational boundaries that have increasingly divided the professional game since LIV Golf’s emergence.
What’s your take on coaches working across tour boundaries? Drop your thoughts in the comments below!
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