Meet Georgia Oboh, Nigerian Golf's poster girl set to storm Kenyan Ladies Championship

Georgia Oboh is a 20-year-old British-Nigerian female golfer.

She comes from a family of golfers as her father Godfrey was also a golfer in central London after being introduced to the sport by his mother.

Soon golf became a huge part of his life.

“He brought my mum in and they became very competitive,” Oboh recalls. “It was a family game for us. I ended up being in the buggy at three or four years old because they were playing about an hour from home in London and otherwise they would be rushing back to let the babysitter leave.”, Georgia said.

She moved around, playing at different golf clubs and picking up new skills and experiences, which she believes has held her in good stead on her journey to becoming a professional.

According to her, she ended up competing amongst boys and girls.

Georgia spent the majority of her childhood in London and Manchester and she could have played easily played under an England flag but instead, she chose to remain true to her heritage. 

Georgia has cited her parents as an integral part of her golfing journey.

“They did their master’s in England after doing degrees in Nigeria. A lot of their friends and family also moved to England.

“Culturally we are strong Nigerians. As I got older I really started to connect back with the country. I see the differences I can make in representing Nigeria.

It would have been an easy choice to play for England or Great Britain but nothing comes easy. I feel Nigerian at heart, it is in my blood.

That’s never going to change, it is part of who I am. I am a Nigerian first and foremost, we don’t shy away from our roots.”, she said.

Georgia Oboh is a pioneer of golf amongst African women.

If South Africa is well known for its golfing heritage, that pretty much looked like where it ended due to its little or no status anywhere else, especially among women - something Oboh wants to lead from the front.

“I want to show that Africans can compete in sports usually dominated by other countries. “These are all just building blocks for juniors to look up to. Being a role model for Nigerians and Africans is one of my goals as a professional golfer.

It is not just about me being successful, it is also to help grow the next generation following me. Having a role model really helps with motivation.”

Georgia Oboh's inspirations come from tennis greats Serena Williams and Naomi Osaka and her long term goal is to be the number one player in the world.

Oboh turned professional in November 2018 and now hopes to appear in one or two majors in the coming years as well.

However, she is now set to battle some of the world’s best lady golfers at the Magical Kenya Ladies Open Championship, which holds from February 10 to 13 at the Baobab Course at Vipingo Ridge, Kilifi County.