Ex Premier League striker qualifies as PGA professional

A former Premier League striker is swapping the football pitch for the golf course after qualifying as a PGA professional. 

Peter Odemwingie turned his attention to the royal and ancient game after bringing the curtain down on a glittering career that took in spells at West Bromwich Albion, Cardiff City and Stoke City amongst others.

Capped 65 times by Nigeria, the Tashkent-born 42-year-old only started playing golf a little over a decade ago.

However, after finishing his football career with Madura United in Indonesia in 2018, he enrolled on the Professional Golf Studies course at the University of Birmingham.

He graduated last month and, speaking to the PGA website, detailed his delight at being able to turn his talents to a second sport.

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“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.”

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Odemwingie says he intends to use his new skills to help develop golf in Russia and Nigeria, his mother and father’s respective home countries.

Beyond that, he also intends to try to play competitively.

“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.”

Michael McEwan is the Deputy Editor of bunkered and has been part of the team since 2004. In that time, he has interviewed almost every major figure within the sport, from Jack Nicklaus, to Rory McIlroy, to Donald Trump. The host of the multi award-winning bunkered Podcast and a member of Balfron Golfing Society, Michael is the author of three books and is the 2023 PPA Scotland 'Writer of the Year' and 'Columnist of the Year'. Dislikes white belts, yellow balls and iron headcovers. Likes being drawn out of the media ballot to play Augusta National.

Deputy Editor