Namibia’s Nr 1 junior golfer goes big

Todd Parker has always been a sports person at heart.

"I grew up playing many ball sports, but when I started playing golf about four years ago, I felt a passion I hadn’t experienced for any other sport."

Since then, he has accumulated a wealth of experience in the sport and has had numerous encounters that have helped him hone and harness his craft.

"I have come to love the game even more than I did when I first started. I feel lucky to have mastered it in such a short time. I can proudly say I have found my true passion in life."



Acclaim

This year, Parker became the first junior golf athlete to receive national colours for both junior and senior men’s golf.

He is also considered Namibia’s number-one junior golf athlete.

"I am super proud to have achieved this. I believe I made my country proud. It was almost a sense of relief, as I put countless hours of hard work into the game. For it to pay off for me is amazing!"

He has also secured a scholarship to Midland College in Texas, in the United States, where he will be moving in July.

Parker has consistently strived to gain recognition in the golfing world, an important factor in being scouted by college coaches.

"Other than that, it is important to get one’s name into the golfing world, no matter how small it may be. One should play as many tournaments as they can. If you do well in these, your résumé will look as impressive as it needs to be to appeal to a coach".



Moving to the States

He believes a scholarship is the next big step to help him in his journey towards becoming a professional golfer. He also recognises that immersing himself in the highly competitive world of American college golf will be great for his growth as a player. In addition to being a golfer, he will also be pursuing a business administration degree at the same university.

"Moving to a new country alone has many challenges. But they are challenges I am willing to face with the support of my incredible family. I would not have been able to do this without them."



Off to Mauritius

On Tuesday, Parker left for the MCB Indian Ocean Open in Mauritius. He said the tournament has been a top priority this year, and he has spent hours mentally preparing himself for it.

"I have spent even more hours playing golf and practising as often as I can. I am in a good mindset for Mauritius and will try my best to come home with a win under my belt."



School and golf

Parker juggled school and golf responsibilities by completing his studies online.

This, he said, allowed him the flexibility to make time for golf.

"Homeschooling allowed me to study on my own time, removing the distractions that come with a conventional school. I thus finished my studies a year early to allow myself to take some time off to focus only on golf", he said.



Putting in the work

As for individuals itching to know how he did it and whether they could do the same, Parker suggests they abide by the quote his mom recently shared with him, which has motivated him to work harder than ever before.

"I truly believe it will do the same for anyone who is prepared to put in the work: 'Lazy people do little work and expect to be winners. Winners work as hard as possible, and still worry if they are being lazy.’"

He also stressed the need for discipline, saying he has learned that it is the main contributor to success.



Proudest moments

In October and November last year, Parker achieved some of his proudest moments when he experienced a streak of four wins out of five tournaments.

"One of them was the Gold Cup. I was five shots behind heading into the final round of the tournament, and I managed to claw them back and win the tournament by two shots. The pride I felt once I finished and saw my family standing nearby crying tears of joy is unmatched."