Leo Frans is currently one of the country’s top amateur golfers, having won the Namibian Junior Open in 2023 and the Oshakati Junior Open in 2024. However, despite this success, he still has a long way to go before even considering turning professional.
Leo (17) is a grade 10 learner at Andimba Ya Toivo Senior Secondary School in the north and has been playing golf since an early age. Today, he has already made a big name for himself, thanks to his hard work and determination on the golf course.
While top amateur golfers often emerge from major urban centres like Windhoek, Oranjemund, and Swakopmund, his success from the northern region underscores that talent transcends location.
One of the biggest challenges facing sport is the lack of finance, with Frans and others being no exception.
“My coach is David Johannes, with whom I have been with since day one. My aim is one day to become a professional golfer. My golf idol is Likius Nande, because he has dominated the amateur rank for many years. The reason why I chose golf over other sports is because it is played individually and it also teaches me to be a good person.
“My sponsor is Ongudi Investment. I am in a boarding school. I am open to any sponsor that wants to sponsor me. The sponsor is not enough because it is too costly to participate in competitions,” said Frans.
Despite seeing lots of potential in Frans, who is close to becoming a leading amateur golfer in the country after renowned top amateur golfer Likius Nande, the young golfer’s coach, David Johannes, believes there is still a long way to go before he can turn professional.
In an interview with Confidente, Johannes was quick to play down any prospects of turning professional soon, saying that the player needs more years before Frans joins the paid ranks of the sport. Frans and Johannes have been together as a coach-player pair since the golfer was ten years old.
“Maybe after six years. He still has a lot to learn. He is a very talented player that will go far in the sport. He was ten years old when he started golf with me. He trains three days a week, since he gets permission from the hostel to train,” said Johannes.