“(My father) has been pretty surprised by my question, inch she said. “He asked me merely really wanted to enjoy this sport and am said, ‘yes, ‘ and he got me a coach and I began playing golf. ”
The remaining was history.
Essien entered her initial competition the same year and proved to be a natural, placing first within her age group. “I found that really great, ” she mentioned.
By age eleven, the golfer has been representing Nigeria in international competitions across the US, UK, plus Africa including Morocco, Botswana, and South Africa. Now 16, she is the No . 1 positioned junior girls’ golfer within Nigeria and has won more than a dozen trophies after placing in a variety of competitions.
“I’m really proud of representing my country because I’m making a name for personally and for my country, ” she said.
In late July, Essien clinched second place in the Under 19 Women division at the Champion associated with Champions World Championship within Northern Ireland. “It was a really good encounter for me, ” she said. Finishing five strokes behind initial, Essein says she actually is proud of how she played.
“Everything happens for a reason — even though you come 2nd or third, it means that you’re getting nearer and closer to 1st, ” she stated, noting the experience associated with playing on a world-renowned course was an earn in itself. “The idea that I could play on a single course as Rory Mcllroy played upon and be in the exact same vicinity of all that will history was really very important to me. ”
Since she continues to make a name for their self and her country, Nigerian president Muhammadu Buhari is having notice. Following the competition, the president’s agent released a declaration saying Buhari, “joins all Nigerians within celebrating this great teenager who is doing so a lot for the country. ”
“It was really unexpected, and I appreciate it, inch Essien told CNN in response.
Subsequent her dreams
Time and time again, Essien has proven she genuinely afraid of a challenge. While she often finds herself competing towards older players, she says it really “gives me a lot more motivation just to learn better. ”
She says the girl positivity and drive is inspired simply by one of her greatest role models, Padraig harrington.
“He has shown plenty of resilience in the game, ” she said, observing his efforts in order to push through a number of injuries and career setbacks. “He just keeps playing golf and he really loves the game, even though he’s not really winning. ”
Essien is not really the first Nigerian golf player to have to look somewhere else for role versions. Georgia Ohoh , the first Nigerian to play in the Ladies European Visit, previously told CNN she had to use tennis to find inspirational athletes.
That’s simply because golf is definitely far from the most popular sports activity in Nigeria. Based on the Nigerian Golf Federation, there are only 58 programs in the united states. In 2012, it was estimated there were only about 200, 500 golfers out of a people of than two hundred million people (by comparison, more than 25 million Americans played golf that same year).
Essien says the absence of a more founded golfing program continues to be challenging, particularly when it comes to financing.
She states her family has been “instrumental” in financing her career, but it’s been a “struggle” and believes, “if I had a huge pot to work with, I would have done more competitions over the years than I did plus won more trophies. ”
Wanting to pursue more opportunities, Essien, who was born in the state of New York yet raised in Nigeria, moved back to the united states in 2021 to sign up in the Taft School in Watertown, Connecticut.
“The competition is definitely high (in the US), ” Essien said. On an average day, the teenager says she typically practices for three hours after class, also it can be difficult to get around the delicate dancing between pursuing an expert career and being an “average” teen.
“Sometimes I really want to go hang out my friends and just unwind and be a teenager fundamentally. But there are also priorities. I have to remember that basically want to be in a higher place in golf or in school then I need to put in the time in the work, ” the lady said.
Inspiring the next generation
In addition to becoming a golf pro, Essien really wants to pursue a degree in engineering with a specialty area in artificial cleverness.
“I hope to obtain a golf scholarship to some (top) university… and if it becomes possible, I really hope to play in the LPGA, ” she said.
With a budding career ahead, she also hopes to pave the way to get other Nigerians for follow in the girl footsteps.
“I hope my achievements and where I am right now within golf can actually inspire Nigerians who want to perform golf, ” the girl said, leaving aspiring golfers with this bit of advice: “work difficult and keep a good mentality because everything happens for a reason and due time, every thing will go your way. ”