Former West Brom, Cardiff and Stoke forward Peter Odemwingie, who also turned out for Lille and Lokomotiv Moscow on top of brief EFL stints at Rotherham and Bristol City, tended to change his clubs regularly. His infamous antics at the end of the 2013 winter transfer window – in which he set up camp outside QPR’s Loftus Road ground and refused to budge (unsuccessfully) until a potential move from the Baggies went through – proved he’s never been afraid to take risks, either.
Now, he’s combining both passions. Five years after officially calling time on a career that yielded 65 Nigeria caps, appearances at two World Cups, four AFCONs, an Olympic silver medal and 144 goals for club and country, he’s swapped one ball for another to become a professional golfer.
The simple tried-and-trusted coaching or punditry post-retirement route was not for the 43-year-old Odemwingie, who spent the past three years at university to take the requisite steps necessary to turn pro. Born in Tashkent, modern-day Uzbekistan but at the time part of the Soviet Union, Odemwingie believes his heritage played a key role in his decision to try something new, and now he hopes to inspire a new generation to get passionate about golf.
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“There’s nothing wrong with following the path of punditry, coaching, becoming an agent and all the rest of it because I did a fair bit of that in the first year after retirement, to test what keeps me going and motivated,” Odemwingie exclusively tells FourFourTwo. “But I have a genuine passion and love for the game of golf.
“Even if I don’t leave a mark on the sport, it would be enough. I also looked at my Russian-Nigerian heritage when making my decision and found that we didn’t have any elite-level golfers. Nobody from my background ever made any history in the game, so that was a space I needed to fill.”
Instead of turning up at the golf course in his car and refusing to leave until he was allowed in to play, Odemwingie went about things the official way.
“First, I had to study at university for three years, and then I had to pass the playing ability test,” he tells FFT. “It wasn’t easy. I’ve passed all of it now, but there were definitely challenges, especially in year two at university – a lot of tests, taking on loads of information. Exams can be overwhelming, but I guess that’s where a sportsman’s determination to get over the line helps. I’m happy I didn’t give up, and now I’m a professional PGA golfer.”
Odemwingie sees golf as a sport to be enjoyed deep into old age, providing a challenge that can fill the competitive void long after the legs have gone, and the perfect middle ground between professional football and the tranquillity of retirement.
“The added bonus of being a golfer is that I can still be a sportsman,” he says. “Football careers are short, but golf offers longevity. You can keep on playing as long as you can walk. There is a seniors tour as well, which the legendary Bernhard Langer, who just retired at 66, was part of. He played for many years.
“Gary Player, another legend, used to say he just does sit-ups and push-ups and plays. For his age, he looks in great shape, so this is what golf offers: it promotes a healthy lifestyle and discipline. It’s a no-brainer for me to become a PGA Professional.”
Better still, Peter, changing clubs is now actively encouraged, with not a one-man protest in the wider west London diaspora in sight. Go well.
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