New Delhi: Not many would recall the name ‘Peter Odemwingie,’ someone who disappeared after a short spell of a few years in the Premier League. Well, these days the former West Bromwich and Stoke City player spends his time playing golf and also doing what he likes being a member of the Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA). It would be unsurprising to see him make this statement- “It’s like watching David Beckham bend one with his right foot and Roberto Carlos doing it with his other foot,” but it’s quite literally not considering that the former Premier League player was successful in the penalty area before switching to the fairway.
During his six-year stint in England’s top flight, the 43-year-old scored 36 league goals for West Bromwich Albion, Stoke City, and Cardiff City. He also earned 65 caps and an Olympic silver medal with Nigeria. His final few days on the football pitch saw him score15 goals and make eight assists for the Indonesian side Medura United FC, until he finally decided to leave in 2018. The double-footed forward was quite a legend for the English sides that were battling relegation, in the name of Stoke, Cardiff and West Bromwich Albion. However, now at the age of 43 he has set his sights on Golf, something that we as football fans have witnessed with other players as well.
Joining other legends of Premier League
BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND – MARCH 23: Peter Odemwingie (L) of Stoke celebrates with teammate Peter Crouch (R)after scoring a goal to level the scores at 1-1 during the Barclays Premier League match between Aston Villa and Stoke City at Villa Park on March 23, 2014 in Birmingham, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)
Born to a Nigerian father and a Russian mother in Tashkent, which was then part of the Soviet Union but is now the capital of Uzbekistan, Odemwingie didn’t start playing golf until he joined West Brom in 2010. However, he “fell in love” with the game while he was with Stoke.
“The magic of golf brought us together. The camaraderie grew a lot in the dressing room.” he says, regarding his time with the Potters, where Peter Crouch, Glen Johnson, and Charlie Adam were frequent golf partners and where former manager Mark Hughes rewarded players with time off for a game on international travels.
“We took that on to the pitch and had lots of success together as footballers.”
There are many parallels between the two sports, according to Odemwingie.
“Sometimes the weight of the pass in football is as important as how hard you hit a putt in golf, so [it’s] not just all about power,” he says.
According to him, in golf it’s like making a putt on the 18th hole to win a championship, and he just liked scoring goals, especially in the final seconds of games. He also enjoys the fact that golf is prolonging his career as a professional, having retired from football in 2019.
“My competitive nature is fed, and the good thing about golf is I can play this for many years to come,” he states.
“My status as a sportsman is still there.”
Professional in Golf studies?
Peter proves it’s never too late to start your journey with the PGA!
Peter Odemwingie is best known for playing top-level football, scoring over 30 Premier League goals for West Bromwich Albion and representing Cardiff City and Stoke City. He has played in two World Cups and… pic.twitter.com/X02NmPp3Do
— The PGA (@ThePGA) June 25, 2024
Odemwingie had to do something out of the ordinary for a football player in order to get to this point: return to school. He earned a foundation degree in professional golf studies after four years of study at the University of Birmingham.
He recollects, “It was a proud moment for me.” He further said that when he noticed how content everyone else was on graduation day, He realized that it took some work for him and all others to cross the finish line since some people gave up.
“I kind of miss it now,” is what he said.
Although Odemwingie acknowledges that he suffered in one area, he listed communication skills, time management, retail, taxation, sports science, and nutrition as disciplines he studied.
“I didn’t give enough time to the business finance module,” he confesses.
“I had to re-sit. But then I had to obviously focus – as a striker, I see the target, I have to hit it!”
After passing the second time, he hopes that the abilities he gained will be useful in his education of his three young children and will also allow him to pursue a career as a coach. Additionally, he intends to pursue a Uefa coaching license in football, so he is not just focused on golf.
“It will be a dream to coach my nations: Russia, Nigeria, England.”
The Olympic dreams for Nigeria
Born in diaspora
Raised in the city of Benin
Nigerian Legend 🇳🇬Peter Osaze Odemwingie ⭐️ pic.twitter.com/Fjzpr5FD3o
— Rooted in the Game (@rootedinthegame) January 2, 2025
Odemwingie has a backup plan to enable him make a comeback to the international sporting scene if coaching the Three Lions and Super Eagles looks unrealistic. He wants to witness a Nigerian aiming for the pin at the biggest spectacle on earth, since golf was reintroduced into the Olympics in 2016.
He stated that if he is unable to play golf, he may at least be a member of the squad of a player who does. His goal is to spread awareness of golf and develop a new generation of players, especially from Nigeria, who will compete in the Olympics. The former striker, who was a member of the Nigerian team that fell to Argentina 1-0 in the Beijing 2008 final, is well-versed in the excitement of the Games.
Although Olympic football is not valued in every country, Odemwingie claims that Nigerians have a distinct perspective. Regarding his silver, he remarks, “The medal is very well respected,” alluding to the men’s team’s 1996 gold medal in Atlanta.
Odemwingie is already organizing meetings with authorities and well-known companies in his native country in an effort to highlight the advantages of his new sport.
According to him, there will be more tourists if Nigeria have more golf courses. In good nations, children can receive scholarships. Fair to say that a good golf course which is well maintained would attract a lot of people.
With ambitions to open a football and golf academy in Benin City in the future, he also hopes to add his name to the mission. Odemwingie’s passion for golf is evident for a man who has already engaged in two professional sports. His only dream is to see his fellow people from Nigeria take up the opportunities and represent the nation in PGA tours.
Peter Odemwingie is a true icon in Nigeria both in terms of Football as well as Golf. Let’s relive some his memorable moments and how the two sports played a key role in his development in life. Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
