Golf: Nigeria’s Oboh Hopes To Pave Way For Next Generation
Nigerian golf star Georgia Oboh hopes a new batch of players will come through the ranks in the next 10 years, as she remains passionate about growing the game of golf in the African country.
Oboh, 21, chose to represent Nigeria on the international level despite ties to the United Kingdom and the United States.
The Nigerian spent an 18-month stretch in the country when she was around 11 years old. While there, she played in junior and amateur events.
“I’m grateful to be able to come out here and play on Tour and have support from my family in Nigeria,” Oboh said.
“It was nice to be able to experience a different way of living. It is warmer and different weather but just to be able to spend time with my family in Nigeria was a blessing,” Oboh added.
“The amateur game in Nigeria is quite strong, we do have big events and we do like to go towards the social part of golf. When we have a golf tournament, it is an event in itself, we like to catch up and have fun.”
Oboh began playing the game after accompanying her parents to the golf course when she was four years old and turned professional in 2018.
The Nigerian finished T32 at LET Q-School in December to improve her status for the year, and had a good start to the 2022 season with a T32 finish at the Magical Kenya Ladies Open.
The Nigerian golf star hopes that in future years, she will be one of many representing Nigeria on the professional men’s and women’s tours.
“It is a great honour to be able to represent your country,” Oboh said. “The Tour has become more and more diverse which is great to see and we’re travelling all over the world playing in different events and different climates.”
“It is great to see how far the Tour has grown and how far we can get to. To have such supportive sponsors on the African continent is key to growing the game within Africa and hopefully, we will have an event in Nigeria soon.
“There has been a boost in junior golf in Nigeria, we are still growing as a country. I don’t want to be the only one. There are a few more hopefully coming up in the next few years. One of my friends is in the US right now on the Epson Tour, Anita Uwadia,” Oboh said.
One key part of the plan for Oboh is the continuing growth and development of the junior game within Nigeria.
“Slowly we are growing at the grassroots level. It is more of the transition from junior to amateur to professional level,” Oboh added. “This is where a lot of people slip through the cracks. But we do have people who are really passionate about golf and doing so much to push people along.”
“It is a long-term plan; I do think it could maybe be faster but I’m grateful to where Nigeria is in terms of golf now and where we are going. Hopefully, within the next five to 10 years, we will have more Nigerians and Africans on Tour.
“I would hope for more Nigerian male and female professionals on the LET and DP World Tour, maybe even on the LPGA and PGA Tour by then. At the same time, I would hope for a stronger junior national team because the way I see it, it is the foundation and most important thing – if our juniors are really strong, they will be able to transition on better,” Oboh concluded.
Chidi Nwoke/The Guardian.
