By Autumn Lockwood
Four years ago, Manon Gidali became part of the Wildcat family at the University of Arizona. She had visited a couple of schools and after visiting the campus, she fell in love.
When Gidali saw all of the golf courses available to her for training, she had a feeling that the University of Arizona was the place that she needed to be. Overcoming the challenge of arriving from France and the obvious cultural adjustments, she was happy to call UA home for the next four years. As expected, the initial culture shock was difficult for Gidali to adapt to.
“At first it was difficult because my English wasn’t great,” Gidali said. “My teammates were very understanding and Coach Laura (Ianello) was like a second mom to me. She helped me with everything, and now I love it here.”
Gidali overcame her nerves when she won the first tournament of her collegiate career, just weeks after arriving on campus in January 2012 as a freshman. It caught her by surprise but she looks back at the win as a key experience in her college career.
“I don’t think I realized (the importance) right away,” Gidali said. “I had qualified fifth on the team. I was not expecting anything. I had no idea how things were working because it was my first-ever college tournament; it just worked out well.”
Coach Laura Ianello had high hopes for Gidali coming in as a freshman and was very proud when she won her first tournament.
“As a freshman, to come in and break a school record, it’s never expected but then again, Manon was definitely one of the highest recruited 2012 athletes out there,” Ianello said. “So, of course, we had high expectations for her. That’s kind of how Manon’s personality is. She doesn’t put a whole lot of thought behind stuff. Literally, when she won that golf tournament, she went out and played, and she didn’t realize how big that win was or breaking that record. She was so young and naïve that she had no clue. It didn’t make her nervous at all. She just does her thing. She’s in her own little bubble.”
Last season as a junior, Gidali admitted to being burnt out on golf. She had played a lot and was struggling to find her balance and love for the game. She worked through this phase of her career, got back on track and ended the season with a top-10 finish at the NCAA Championships.
“After the season was over, I took a break for a while that summer,” Gidali said. “When I came back, I felt refreshed. I just think I had gotten into my head a little and it became more mental strength that I had to re-build. I worked with Susie Myers and she helped me better my thoughts and be more positive. She also helped me rethink on the course. It took me two months to get back on track and at that point, I was tired of not playing anymore. I wanted to play and not be scared.”
As the team heads to the NCAA Championships in Bradenton, Fla. this week, Gidali’s passion for the sport is stronger than ever.
“I’m really excited to have made it to nationals for the third season in a row,” Gidali said. “For the last two years, we have finished seventh and eighth but this year we want to win it. Growing up, I played a lot of match play so I’m used to that style of play. I think we have a good chance of winning and doing well with our two wins this season back-to-back and winning the Pac-12 title.”
“I hope to do well at nationals because this is my last tournament with the team ever,” Gidali added. “Winning Pac-12s as a senior was something I hoped to accomplish and we did.
Gidali will begin her professional career in July and will graduate in December with a degree in economics. She’ll attend LPGA A School or will look at playing on the Symetra Tour.
Ianello and assistant coach Derek Radley are going to miss the personality that Gidali brings to the team. They both think so highly of her and are excited to see what the future brings her.
“Manon is the funniest human being on the planet,” Ianello said. “She really makes us laugh everyday. Even if she’s in a bad mood or she’s in a good mood, she can put a smile on your face. She’s a great role model on the team. She works hard and she’s excited about turning pro. She’s not fearful of turning pro and that’s great for the other girls to see, that she’s ready for that next step.”
Gidali says, that above everything else, she is going to miss her coaches and teammates the most.
“Everyone is always in a good mood and we always laugh a lot,” Gidali said. “I am going to miss the atmosphere more than anything. My teammates and coaches have helped me so much over my last four years. The team chemistry we have is unbeatable.”
Ianello describes Gidali’s transformation over the last four years as night and day, beaming with pride about the woman she has become.
“Her first year you could compare her to young, immature high school kid who didn’t know how to drive, didn’t know how to pay a bill, and didn’t really know how to speak English,” Ianello said. “Now she is a mature female who really knows how to take care of herself and knows how to get things done. She has really grown up so much with more than just her golf game. Her golf game has excelled and she’s much more mature on the golf course, too.”
Maturity, hard work and passion have propelled Gidali to an elite level within the Arizona women’s golf program. She’ll take those traits, share them with her teammates and look to excel at this week’s NCAA Championships.
