Education student's global golfing dream

After being accepted on an academic scholarship to study through Southern Cross University’s prestigious Elite Student Athlete program, Eleka, now 20, has been able to travel to the USA for golfing tournaments and winning the golfing tournament at the 2017 University Games.

“If you asked me when I was a little kid I would have told you I wanted to be a school teacher first and then a golfer which is definitely what I’ve decided to do. Southern Cross has offered so much support and the flexibility through the elite Athlete Program which has enabled me to keep competing alongside my studies,” said Eleka, whose scholarship is funded by Ballina Shire Council.

Eleka was seven years old when she first teed off at Ballina Golf Club. It was during afternoon school sport on Tuesdays she got her first taste of life on the green and decided to join the juniors instead of going to dancing or playing netball.

At age nine she qualified for the Junior PGA and won the worldwide tournament, backing it up with her second Junior PGA win at age 12.

“I then played the World Titles and the World Series in my final year of high school in 2016 over in America and it was very exciting to represent Australia and NSW,” said Eleka, who aspired to follow the footsteps of Aussie icons Karrie Webb and Greg Norman.

Eleka knows the commitment it takes to excel in her chosen endeavours; she studies hard and plays hard when she’s on the green. She desires to use her passion for education in remote Indigenous communities where there is significant educational disadvantage, and eventually teach in Dubai where she can tie education and golfing together at a major international school.

“I have always wanted to be a teacher because I strongly believe that knowledge and is power and having an education opens people up to amazing opportunities. And an added benefit of being a teacher is you also get the summer off work, and the summer is when events like the Australian Open are held,” she said.

“The offer is still there for me with professional golf and the Australian Ladies Professional Golf (ALPG) and they have been so supportive with any event that I want to play.

“This year I played the NSW State champions, the state Riversdale Cup and the Australian Amateur Championships which I am working towards again next year. I definitely still have that deep seeded love for golf, which you need, because golf is not one of those sports that once you master it you stay good, you have to keep working for it to stay in the game.”