Peter Osaze Odemwingie, a former Nigerian international footballer, has embarked on a new journey, trading his football boots for golf clubs. The 43-year-old, who won an Olympic medal with Nigeria, played in two World Cups and four AFCON tournaments, and Scored 61 goals in English Premier, has set his sights on the PGA European Tour and the Olympics.
Odemwingie may have called time on his football career in 2019, but that has only paved the way for him to follow another dream – “this time, it’s golf.” Odemwingie is a new Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) member and backs himself to succeed in the sport completely.
Peter Odemwingie: Not Too Old To Dream New Dreams
Peter Odemwingie is a believer in dreaming big. If you have a dream, chase it, It’s the kind of attitude that shaped a memorable football career spanning almost two decades.
From his youth days in the late 90s to playing for Lille in the 2000s and scoring goals for West Brom in the Premier League during the 2010s, Odemwingie left a lasting mark.
Odemwingie who is now a professional golfer recounts his challenges as he made known that Nobody believes he could rise to professional rank.
Quoting from his talks with BBC Africa, he believes that his experience as a professional footballer will give him an edge in the golfing world, which he would like to share especially with Nigerians.
“My dream is to have the Nigerian flag on the elite level of golf,” Odemwingie said in an interview with BBC Africa. “On the tour, I see all the flags there, but not Nigeria’s. No, something needs to be done.”
An Olympic Dream and A Nigerian Flag On The PGA Tour
Odemwingie’s ultimate goal is to compete in the Olympics and the PGA European Tour.
“I like the challenge, the thing about golf is I can play this for many years to come and compete, so my state as a sportsman is still there.
As a PGA professional, Odemwingie is now qualified to coach and develop young golfers.
He plans to open an academy in his hometown of Benin, where he can share his knowledge and experience with the next generation of Nigerian golfers.
“I want to introduce people to the game and build a generation of golfers, from Nigeria in particular, that will participate in the Olympics,”
The sport is very well respected. It’s a way to sell the project to our state government.”
Meanwhile, Odemwingie fell in love with the game of Golf liked, the challenge, and believes he can play for many years and remain in his state of sportsmanship.
Odemwingie’s journey will inspire many who would like to participate in golf. His determination and passion for sports are evident, and that positive impact will bring community development to Nigeria.