A single moment can change the trajectory of our lives. For Nigerian Iyeneobong "Iyene" Essien, that moment came when she was just five years old. She remembers the day her dad took her to a golf course in Abuja, where she saw a boy teeing off. Intrigued by the sight, she asked her dad if she could pursue the sport.
"(My father) was pretty surprised by my question," she said. "He asked me if I really wanted to play this sport and I said, 'yes,' and he got me a coach and I started playing golf."
The rest was history.
Essien entered her first competition the same year and proved to be a natural, placing first in her age group. "I found that really cool," she said.
By age 11, the golfer was representing Nigeria at international competitions across the US, UK, and Africa including Morocco, Botswana, and South Africa. Now 16, she is the No.1 ranked junior girls' golfer in Nigeria and has won more than a dozen trophies after placing in various competitions.
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"I'm really proud of representing my country because I'm making a name for myself and for my country," she said.
In late July, Essien clinched second place in the Under 19 Girls division at the Champion of Champions World Championship in Northern Ireland. "It was a really good experience for me," she said. Finishing five strokes behind first, Essein says she is proud of how she played.
"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, noting the experience of playing on a world-renowned course was a win in itself. "The fact that I could play on the same course as Rory Mcllroy played on and be in the same vicinity of all that history was really very important to me."
As she continues to make a name for herself and her country, Nigerian president Muhammadu Buhari is taking notice. Following the tournament, the president's adviser released a statement saying Buhari, "joins all Nigerians in celebrating this great teenager who is doing so much for the country."
"It was really unexpected, and I appreciate it," Essien told CNN in response.
Following her dreams
Time and time again, Essien has proven she isn't afraid of a challenge. While she often finds herself competing against older players, she says it actually "gives me even more motivation just to do better."
She says her positivity and drive is inspired by one of her greatest role models, Tiger Woods.
"He has shown a lot of resilience in the game," she said, noting his efforts to push through a series of injuries and career setbacks. "He just keeps playing golf and he really loves the sport, even though he's not winning."
