Four years ago when Fiona Watson first arrived at Iowa State, her golfing teammates and coach didn’t know what to think of her. Now she is an invaluable member of the women’s golf team, not only for her golf ability, but for her courage and leadership.

“You really have to admire her dedication, because she always works really hard,” junior Christina Young said. “She is always a lot of fun. She can always lighten the mood with her accent and make you laugh.”

When Watson arrived from Dumfries, Scotland, she wore European-style clothing and had an accent which made it hard for others to understand her.

“Sometimes we still tease and laugh at her about the way she says some things, but she has certainly been Americanized a lot,” fellow co-captain and roommate Sara Linneman said. “She is certainly a team leader and a lot of people go to her for her to listen to them. She really tries to take care of her friends, which is an admirable quality that her teammates sure appreciate.”

As well as being a team captain, Watson has been the top golfer in seven of the Cyclone’s meets this season. She has an overall year average of 77.83 per 18 holes and 79.4 during the spring. She currently ranks 18th in the Big 12 and sixth in the northern division. With strong performances in her last two meets, Watson could best Shelley Finnestad’s school record 77.4 average set in 1992.

At the Colorado Invitational this fall she shot an 18-hole round of 70, which tied a school record. Watson shot a 220 at the meet, in which she earned runner-up honors, smashing the previous school mark by four strokes.

It has been a long road for Watson to reach the success that she has achieved this season. During the fall of her junior year, she was diagnosed with Graves disease, an ailment that affects the thyroid gland.

Last year, Watson struggled to finish tournaments and was not getting the distance on her shots she normally achieved.

“I lost about 35 pounds in five or six weeks and I was playing horribly,” Watson said. “I was always tired and stressed. When we started winter conditioning, I passed out. So obviously it was time to go to the doctor. Now we have it under control with the proper medication, and I’m doing well.”

“It is such a big difference from last year. I’ve regained the weight and my strength, so I can hit the ball 25 yards farther,” Watson said. “It is like night and day, you don’t even how much it affects you until you get better.

Watson will earn Academic All-American and conference honors for the second time this season. She also earned academic recognition her sophomore year. During that spring season, Watson placed sixth at the Big 12 Tournament, earned all-Big Eight honors and qualified for the NCAA Eastern Regional.

Watson needed a 3.73 in order to qualify for Academic All-American honors and she earned a 3.74 last fall.

“If you put a challenge in front of her, she is the kind of kid that will go out and do it,” Manning said. “She is a dream to have on our team. She is always where she is supposed to be, and she is always willing to do the extra work. She is not real vocal, but she definitely leads by her actions. We’ve asked her to take on a lot of leadership and she has handled it marvelously.”

The Cyclones have two tournaments remaining, the Iowa meet and the Big 12. Watson will again be looking to qualify for the national meet, but that is not her main concern.

“All I want to be able to say at the end of the tournament is that I did all I could,” Watson said. “I want to enjoy it and take it one shot at a time and see what happens.”

Watson graduates this spring in four years without any summer school. Her immediate plans are to attend graduate school in sports administration, and to serve as an assistant on the ISU golf programs and then possibly later take a shot at the LPGA.

“This has been such a great place for me, the people around here have really welcomed me,” Watson said. “I really want to give back to the team because without the Cyclone family I wouldn’t been able to make it through.”