-Inspired by Tony Fleetwood, Sammy hopes that the legacy he leaves behind is one that inspires people from humble backgrounds to do anything they set their minds to.
– “When you play well, golf will always pay you handsomely. Golf is for everyone, do not give up on your dream. Sponsors will approach you when you play well,” Sammy says.
-A devout Christian, Sammy spends his Sundays at church and with his close family and friends.
He lives a sober lifestyle and credits that to his father and older brother.
ELSIE OBURU-OXYGENE PR.
Born and raised in Nakuru County, 30-year-old Samuel Njoroge of the Railways Golf Club began his golf journey early on as a little boy accompanying his father to the fairways.
Young Sammy wasn’t just watching his father swing and putt but as it turns out, he was slowly learning his way around the course.
His earliest swings at Njoro Golf Club shaped him into the player he is today and Sammy, as he prefers to be called, began his golf career in 2006, as an amateur, but it was not until November 2020, when he decided to go professional.
For him, golf was just an expensive hobby he enjoyed and however, when Safaricom approached him, along with three other professional golfers, Matthew Wahome, Mutahi Kibugu and Mohit Mediratta and offered sponsorship for the ongoing PGK Equator Tour, he felt that there was more he could give. With Safaricom coming on board, it meant that Sammy no longer had to worry about the financial aspect of the game.
In his own words, “I now decided to work harder. I knew that it was me, my God and my clubs,” speaking to his dedication to the sport.
The initial plan was not to play golf professionally and although he thoroughly enjoyed the sport, his parents, in true African spirit, insisted that he completed his education all through to university.
Sammy dabbled as an architecture student at the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology.
However, he continued to play in the amateur ranks, representing Kenya in different tournaments, such as the East Africa Challenge Cup, The East African Cup and The Victoria Cup.
In addition to successfully completing his university education, Sammy was ranked best amateur male golfer in Kenya for three consecutive years, that is, 2018, 2019 and 2020.
His proudest moment, however, came in 2022, when he made the cut for Magical Kenya Open.
“I was invited to Statehouse, and I met the president, which made me very happy,” he fondly recalls.
Sammy’s dedication to the game is incredible and He credits his father for the discipline that he applies in his career.
An early riser, he spends his Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings cycling up to 5 km and after that he goes for a stretch, before he hits the range and spends the rest of his morning at practice.
Long range shots, short range shots, putting, he does it all before 2 pm so that he can spend his afternoons doing recovery.
A devout Christian, Sammy spends his Sundays at church and with his close family and friends.
He lives a sober lifestyle and credits that to his father and older brother.
For Sammy, being a professional golfer means that there are values he has to uphold in order to excel on the course and the PGK Equator Tour is just the beginning for Sammy.
During the fifth leg of the tournament, held at the Nakuru Golf Club, he narrowly missed out on first place, finishing second with a total score of 282, 10-under-par.
However, he redeemed himself in the sixth leg, held in Diani last week, where he claimed the top title after carding an impressive 70, 2-under-par and is now focused on maintaining this momentum going into the next leg.
“I would like to win more trophies, including the corporate shield for my team. I am now more motivated to work harder because I have seen that winning is possible and I want to do even better in the upcoming seventh leg,” he says enthusiastically.
On the future of Kenyan golf, Sammy believes it is growing and urges more amateurs to go professional even without sponsorship.
“When you play well, golf will always pay you handsomely. Golf is for everyone, do not give up on your dream. Sponsors will approach you when you play well,” Sammy says.
He credits Safaricom for coming on board to sponsor him, because it alleviates the pressure of financial worry and urges more corporates to sponsor other pro-golfers so that the game can grow more.
On his aspirations, he hopes to finish in the top three at the PGK Equator Tour final and qualify for the Magical Kenya Open next year and also aims to represent Kenya at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.
“In the next 10 years, I want to play more golf outside the Country not only in South and West Africa, but also across Europe, Asia, and the American Tours, “said Sammy.
Inspired by Tony Fleetwood, Sammy hopes that the legacy he leaves behind is one that inspires people from humble backgrounds to do anything they set their minds to.
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