Former West Brom, Cardiff and Stoke ahead Peter Odemwingie, who additionally turned out for Lille and Lokomotiv Moscow on high of transient EFL stints at Rotherham and Bristol Metropolis, tended to vary his golf equipment commonly. His notorious antics on the finish of the 2013 winter switch window – wherein he arrange camp exterior QPR’s Loftus Street floor and refused to budge (unsuccessfully) till a possible transfer from the Baggies went by way of – proved he’s by no means been afraid to take dangers, both.
Now, he’s combining each passions. 5 years after formally calling time on a profession that yielded 65 Nigeria caps, appearances at two World Cups , 4 AFCONs, an Olympic silver medal and 144 targets for membership and nation, he’s swapped one ball for one more to grow to be knowledgeable golfer.
The easy tried-and-trusted teaching or punditry post-retirement route was not for the 43-year-old Odemwingie, who spent the previous three years at college to take the requisite steps needed to show professional. Born in Tashkent, modern-day Uzbekistan however on the time a part of the Soviet Union, Odemwingie believes his heritage performed a key function in his resolution to attempt one thing new, and now he hopes to encourage a brand new era to get captivated with golf.
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“There’s nothing unsuitable with following the trail of punditry, teaching, turning into an agent and all the remainder of it as a result of I did a good bit of that within the first yr after retirement, to check what retains me going and motivated,” Odemwingie completely tells FourFourTwo . “However I’ve a real ardour and love for the sport of golf.
“Even when I don’t depart a mark on the game, it could be sufficient. I additionally checked out my Russian-Nigerian heritage when making my resolution and located that we didn’t have any elite-level golfers. No one from my background ever made any historical past within the sport, in order that was an area I wanted to fill.”
As a substitute of turning up on the golf course in his automobile and refusing to depart till he was allowed in to play, Odemwingie went about issues the official approach.
Odemwingie enjoying golf (Picture credit score: Getty Pictures)
“First, I needed to examine at college for 3 years, after which I needed to go the enjoying skill take a look at,” he tells FFT . “It wasn’t straightforward. I’ve handed all of it now, however there have been positively challenges, particularly in yr two at college – quite a lot of exams, taking up a great deal of data. Exams may be overwhelming, however I assume that’s the place a sportsman’s dedication to recover from the road helps. I’m comfortable I didn’t quit, and now I’m knowledgeable PGA golfer.”
Odemwingie sees golf as a sport to be loved deep into previous age, offering a problem that may fill the aggressive void lengthy after the legs have gone, and the right center floor between skilled soccer and the tranquillity of retirement.
“The added bonus of being a golfer is that I can nonetheless be a sportsman,” he says. “Soccer careers are brief, however golf provides longevity. You’ll be able to carry on enjoying so long as you’ll be able to stroll. There’s a seniors tour as nicely, which the legendary Bernhard Langer, who simply retired at 66, was a part of. He performed for a few years.
Odemwingie had a profitable profession (Picture credit score: Getty Pictures)
“Gary Participant, one other legend, used to say he simply does sit-ups and push-ups and performs. For his age, he appears to be like in nice form, so that is what golf provides: it promotes a wholesome way of life and self-discipline. It’s a no brainer for me to grow to be a PGA Skilled.”
Higher nonetheless, Peter, altering golf equipment is now actively inspired, with not a one-man protest within the wider west London diaspora in sight. Go nicely.
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