Ex-Premier League and World Cup footballer qualifies as PGA Professional

Peter-Odemwingie-1---The-PGA

Nigeria’s Peter Odemwingie has reinforced his love for golf by successfully qualifying as a PGA Professional.

The ex-Premier League footballer has had successful spells at West Bromwich Albion, Cardiff City, and Stoke City and featured at two World Cups for Nigeria. The now 42-year-old ex-striker, scored 118 goals for nine different clubs in 414 total appearances, with 11 goals in 62 games for his country.

The Uzbekistan-born star, picked up the game of golf at the end of his West Bromwich Albion stint having heard a few of his teammates playing it in their free time.

Watch his swing below:

Six years after retiring from professional football and having graduated from the University of Birmingham in the Professional Golf Studies course, he can call himself a full member of the PGA.

“I’m proud because I challenged myself not only to apply effort in a sport but also academically,” said Odemwingie.

“I hope my story motivates people to follow suit, whether that’s through The PGA or any other form of studies.

“The course takes some effort to accomplish. I hear that people do quit halfway through because of the volume of it and the pressure that comes with it.

“It wasn’t easy, but I think the character I developed from football helped. I’ve had those times when I had a goal drought and didn’t score for five or six months, but you have to keep going – sometimes you just have to endure.”

Turning 50 in July 2031, he has one eye on competing against some of the greats of the game on the Legends Tour.

“My eyes are on the senior tour in the future because I definitely know there is a player in me,” he added.

“This game offers us longevity and if you stay healthy you can play for a long time, as someone like Gary Player shows.

“Hopefully when I’m old with a lot of grey hairs I’ll be able to tell a pretty cool story about my time playing golf.”

Image: The PGA