Meet Iyene Essien, the 16-year-old female golfer putting Nigeria on world map

August 22, 2022 3:24 pm

The allure of professional sports almost always germinates from seeds of early age cultivation. The skills and techniques required to be a successful sportsman demand a lifetime of practice to attain mastery. This is why most successful athletes are those who start at an early age. The story is the same for Iyene Essien who fell in love with golf at the age of five.

Eyo Essien, her father, took her to IBB International Golf and Country Club in Abuja where she saw a white boy smacking the golf ball. The young Iyene, as she’s fondly called, instantly fell in love with the sport and communicated her interest in golf to her father, who quickly arranged to get her on the course.

“When I came back to Nigeria, I didn’t have anywhere to go for recreation. I asked around and I was introduced to the IBB Golf Club,” her father was quoted to have said.

“Iyene, who was five years old then, usually accompanied me there. One day, I noticed she was attracted to the way some white guys were playing golf at the club. So, I asked her if she wanted to play and she said ‘yes.’

“So, I had to order for a kit for her. From there, she started her lessons at the IBB Golf Club.”

There began the story that would see her win several laurels while representing Nigeria across the world.

Her first medal was at the age of five — just a few months after picking the sport — and before she turned 13, Iyene had won 17 medals.

She was born in New York, United States, on May 17, 2006, and returned to Nigeria as a toddler.

Iyene has represented Nigeria in several tournaments in Africa, Europe, and the United States. She is also Nigeria’s number one ranked junior female golfer.

“I’m really proud of representing my country because I’m making a name for myself and for my country,” she said.

The latest tournament where she flaunted her brilliance in honour of Nigeria was the 2022 under-19 girls division of the Champion of Champions World Championship in Northern Ireland where she finished second.

She finished just five strokes behind the first position. Speaking with CNN, Iyeneobong was full of hopes for the future.

“Everything happens for a reason — even though you come second or third, it means that you’re getting closer and closer to first,” she said.

Golf is a sport with relatively low patronage in Nigeria, distantly behind football, basketball, table tennis, and athletics. Limited visibility means limited golfing programmes and competitions and funding and Iyene believes this reality is a challenge to the growth of the sport in Nigeria.

“If I had a huge pot to work with, I would have done more competitions over the years than I did and won more trophies,” she added.

Watch Iyene in action below: