A single second can change the trajectory of our lives. For Nigerian Iyeneobong “Iyene” Essien, that second got here when she was simply 5 years outdated. She remembers the day her dad took her to a golf course in Abuja, the place she noticed a boy teeing off. Intrigued by the sight, she requested her dad if she might pursue the game.
“(My father) was fairly shocked by my query,” she mentioned. “He requested me if I actually wished to play this sport and I mentioned, ‘sure,’ and he obtained me a coach and I began enjoying golf.”
The remainder was historical past.
Essien entered her first competitors the identical 12 months and proved to be a pure, putting first in her age group. “I discovered that actually cool,” she mentioned.
By age 11, the golfer was representing Nigeria at worldwide competitions throughout the US, UK, and Africa together with Morocco, Botswana, and South Africa. Now 16, she is the No.1 ranked junior women’ golfer in Nigeria and has received greater than a dozen trophies after putting in varied competitions.
“I’m actually happy with representing my nation as a result of I’m making a reputation for myself and for my nation,” she mentioned.
In late July, Essien clinched second place within the Below 19 Women division on the Champion of Champions World Championship in Northern Eire. “It was a extremely good expertise for me,” she mentioned. Ending 5 strokes behind first, Essein says she is happy with how she performed.
“All the pieces occurs for a motive – although you come second or third, it implies that you’re getting nearer and nearer to first,” she mentioned, noting the expertise of enjoying on a world-renowned course was a win in itself. “The truth that I might play on the identical course as Rory Mcllroy performed on and be in the identical neighborhood of all that historical past was actually crucial to me.”
Associated: Nigeria’s golden lady Tobi Amusan causes stir after world document win at World Athletics Championships
As she continues to make a reputation for herself and her nation, Nigerian president Muhammadu Buhari is taking discover. Following the event, the president’s adviser launched an announcement saying Buhari, “joins all Nigerians in celebrating this nice teenager who’s doing a lot for the nation.”
“It was actually sudden, and I recognize it,” Essien instructed CNN in response.
Following her desires
Time and time once more, Essien has confirmed she isn’t afraid of a problem. Whereas she typically finds herself competing towards older gamers, she says it truly “offers me much more motivation simply to do higher.”
She says her positivity and drive is impressed by one in all her best function fashions, Tiger Woods.
“He has proven lots of resilience within the recreation,” she mentioned, noting his efforts to push by way of a sequence of accidents and profession setbacks. “He simply retains enjoying golf and he actually loves the game, although he’s not successful.”
” class=”gallery-image__dam-img”>
” class=”gallery-image__dam-img”>
” class=”gallery-image__dam-img”>
considering retirement earlier than the beginning of her daughter in 2020.” class=”gallery-image__dam-img”>
Essien just isn’t the primary Nigerian golfer to should look elsewhere for function fashions. Georgia Ohoh, the primary Nigerian to play within the Women European Tour, beforehand instructed CNN she needed to flip to tennis to search out inspirational athletes.
That’s partly as a result of golf is much from the most well-liked sport in Nigeria. In accordance with the Nigerian Golf Federation, there are solely 58 programs within the nation. In 2012, it was estimated there have been solely about 200,00zero golfers out of a inhabitants of than 200 million individuals (by comparability, greater than 25 million Individuals performed golf that very same 12 months).
Associated: Former Tremendous Bowl champion Osi Umenyiora is creating a brand new path for African expertise to make it to the NFL
Essien says the absence of a extra established {golfing} program has been difficult, notably in the case of financing.
She says her household has been “instrumental” in funding her profession, but it surely’s been a “wrestle” and believes, “if I had an enormous pot to work with, I’d have performed extra competitions over time than I did and received extra trophies.”
Desirous to pursue extra alternatives, Essien, who was born within the state of New York however raised in Nigeria, moved again to the US in 2021 to enroll within the Taft Faculty in Watertown, Connecticut.
“The competitors is excessive (within the US),” Essien mentioned. On a mean day, {the teenager} says she usually practices for 3 hours after class, and it may be troublesome to navigate the fragile dance between pursuing an expert profession and being an “common” teen.
“Generally I truly actually wish to go hang around my buddies and simply chill out and be a teen principally. However there are additionally priorities. I’ve to keep in mind that if I wish to be in the next place in golf or at school then I’ve to place within the time within the work,” she mentioned.
Inspiring the following technology
Along with changing into a golf professional, Essien needs to pursue a level in engineering with a specialization in synthetic intelligence.
“I hope to get a golf scholarship to a (prime) college… and if it turns into potential, I hope to play within the LPGA,” she mentioned.
Associated: What it’s wish to circumnavigate Lesotho on foot – in 16 days
With a budding profession forward, she additionally hopes to pave the best way for different Nigerians for observe in her footsteps.
“I hope my achievements and the place I’m proper now in golf can truly encourage Nigerians who wish to play golf,” she mentioned, leaving aspiring golfers with this piece of recommendation: “work arduous and preserve a very good mentality as a result of every thing occurs for a motive and in due time, every thing will go your method.”
This text was initially revealed by cnn.com. Learn the unique article right here.
Comments are closed.