Emily Odwin: The swing from the small island that rewrote Barbados golf history

TPO - Growing up in the Caribbean, where there are only six golf courses and few people dream of reaching the pinnacle of the sport, Emily Odwin has overcome all limits to become the first Barbados golfer to play in a major tournament. This week, the 21-year-old girl will officially take the field at the US Women's Open, carrying with her both the pride of her homeland and the big dreams of a generation of young islanders.

Emily Odwin is the first Barbadian to compete in a prestigious major tournament.

The Island Girl and the Swing That Changed History

Growing up in the Caribbean island nation, Emily Odwin, 21, learned to swim at age four and was a long-distance ocean swimmer. But she loves sports in general and has tried her hand at almost everything except athletics and cricket, the most popular sport in her homeland. Odwin even has a brown belt in karate.

Golf, however, seemed a distant dream to Odwin. With an area of ​​only about 430 km², smaller than any state in the US, the entire island of Barbados has only 6 golf courses. Nevertheless, Odwin and his father, Edward, were passionate about watching the performances of Tiger Woods and Jordan Spieth, never missing a major tournament. At the age of 11, Odwin began to get acquainted with golf, despite having no role models from home to follow.

Ten years later, Odwin is making history for the small island nation. This week, she will take to the court at Erin Hills, Wisconsin, becoming the first player from Barbados to play in a Women's Open, and the first Barbadian to compete in a major.

“I just want to inspire kids back home that golf is possible,” Odwin told Golf Digest. “You never know how far you can go until you try.”

Now a junior at Southern Methodist University (SMU) in Texas, Odwin is entering the U.S. Women's Open as an amateur in her first professional appearance. Her strength is her powerful tee shot, often 20-30 yards ahead of her opponents.

“Emily is tall, athletic, and has a lot of stamina,” said Carly Ludwig, SMU assistant coach and Odwin’s caddie at Erin Hills. “The big trend in golf today is hitting the tee longer because you can use the wedge more. I can teach putting, I can teach greens, but I can’t teach someone how to hit the ball farther.”

Odwin is so good at driving the ball that she still keeps a 3-iron in her bag - a rarity when most female golfers today use fairway woods or hybrids.

“Emily can hit a 3-iron really well,” Ludwig said. “She drives the ball, she controls the spin. Her swing is so smooth and natural that you don’t want to mess with it too much.”

Dreams and Reality

To pursue her dream, Odwin had to leave the island and compete overseas, primarily in the United States. In 2021, she became the first Barbadian to qualify for both the US Women's Amateur and US Girls' Junior in the same year. And now, the people of Barbados can watch her realize an even bigger dream: a major championship.

“Golf is not only a sport that I love, but it is also a way for me and young people in Barbados to succeed,” said Odwin, who is proud of her homeland and will compete at Erin Hills with the Barbados flag embroidered on her chest. For Odwin, it is a reminder of where her journey began.

Odwin first started playing golf at Royal Westmoreland Golf Club, then moved to Barbados Golf Club, where the conditions were better. There she met coach Denny Foster, who coached her from the age of 11 and still accompanies her in many tournaments.

“Back then, Barbados had maybe 25 young golfers at most,” Foster said. “There were only six golf courses, and only one of them was affordable. Emily started out on a very difficult journey, with no formal training programs, no support system. What she achieved was truly extraordinary.”

Foster will travel to Wisconsin with his student. He has followed Odwin through dozens of junior tournaments and cried when he learned that his student tied for first place in the qualifying round at the Olympic Club in San Francisco, along with Stanford star Paula Martin Sampedro, and qualified for the U.S. Women's Open.

“Emily has always had a dream of playing on the LPGA Tour,” Foster said. “I have had many students who have had that dream, but Emily is different. From a young age, she has been very determined, never straying from her chosen path, even giving up all other sports to focus only on golf.”

Throughout the journey, Odwin was fortunate to have a strong support system, from his parents (Mr. Edward and Mrs. Orna), coaches to sponsors. They called themselves “Team Emily”.

“We put together a team to help Emily compete, to get exposure, to get noticed by college coaches,” Foster said. “There was a whole network back home, including her parents, coaches, the Barbados Golf Association, the Barbados Olympic Committee, friends and fans. They all contributed to the dream of a little girl.”

Bringing island spirit to the major

Odwin grew up on the beach, and she has the free-spirited nature of a tropical island girl. It was this personality that led her teammates at SMU to nickname her “Barb”—short for Barbados, not “Barbie,” as many people mistakenly believe.

“Sometimes, I just want to go to the beach and let myself drift in the water,” Odwin smiled. “If I find a deserted beach, I will be alone with the ocean. I love the ocean. It makes my mind light and relaxed.”

Every time she returns home, Odwin returns to her familiar routine: golf in the morning, swimming at the beach at noon, and then returning to the practice field with her coach in the afternoon. Her days always revolve around golf and the beach, two endless passions.

During the 36-hole qualifying round of the US Women's Open, Odwin was accompanied by a local caddie and paid little attention to the scorecard. After a round-best 68 in the first round, she called her college coach to check in. It wasn't until she finished the second round with a 71 and tied for the lead with Sarah Lim (US Women's Amateur Four-Ball champion) that Odwin realized she had earned her way to Erin Hills and needed an official caddie.

“I still can't believe it,” Odwin said. “I looked at my caddie and said, 'Did I really do it? No way.' It was an overwhelming feeling. It was the culmination of a long journey.”

Coach Ludwig is looking forward to Odwin's presence at the US Women's Open. Already familiar with her student's gentle, calm demeanor, Ludwig revealed: "The way Emily walks on the golf course is like she's strolling on a beach in Barbados. That demeanor is extremely valuable in this sport."

For his part, Odwin did not hide his excitement: “I have never been to Wisconsin. I heard that it is famous for cheese, and I love cheese, so I am really looking forward to it. One of my coaches even joked that he will wear a 'cheese head' hat to cheer me on.”

Trong Dat

Source: https://tienphong.vn/emily-odwin-cu-swing-tu-hon-dao-nho-viet-lai-lich-su-golf-barbados-post1746068.tpo