Peter Odemwingie, a former Super Eagles forward, has admitted that switching from football to golf was difficult for him.
Odemwingie quit the round leather game six years ago after an impressive career that saw him play for clubs in Russia and England.
The 43-year-old graduated from golf school last month and is now a professional in the sport.
The former Locomotiv Moscow of Russia player revealed that the Nigerian spirit in him helped him scale through the tough hurdle.
“I am someone who has a goal. I gave it a good shot. It was hard,” Odemwingie told Channels Sport.
“People quit this degree in year two; many boys can’t cope with the volume [of study].” It was hard.
“But my Nigerian spirit helped me persevere through the year two when there was a lot to do study-wise.”
Odemwingie played for Premier League clubs, West Brom, Cardiff City and Stoke City during his active days
He represented Nigeria at two FIFA World Cups and scored 11 times for the three-time African champions.