Kansas State University Athletics
A Rhythmic Approach Has Donche-Gay Ready for Big 12s
Apr 22, 2022 | Women's Golf, Sports Extra
By: D. Scott Fritchen
Manon Donche-Gay has a simple process when embarking upon her craft. She turns on her metronome. The metronome allows her to swing in rhythm. The metronome enhances the backbone of playing good golf. The tick-tock, tick-tock, lulls her into a zone, almost a trance, and she hits her wedge up-and-down and up-and-down — a graduated skill developed through hours upon hours of practice on the fringe and the cushy greens at Colbert Hills Golf Course.
"I practice it over and over again," Donche-Gay says. "I have a feel for it. I have a good wedge game. It's the favorite part of my game. I'm creative with it. I like to imagine shots."
It's a carefully managed talent. Born in Avignon, France, Donche-Gay lived in Bradenton, Florida, the first time her mother dropped a bunch of golf balls around the green and cut Manon loose to see how many she could loop up-and-down and into the hole. Manon was 8 years old.
Today, the wedge is the bread-and-butter of Donche-Gay's golf game, and a skill that figures to be her best asset when the junior college transfer joins her Kansas State teammates at the 2022 Big 12 Championship, which runs Friday through Sunday at the par-71, 6,249-yard Houston Oaks Golf Club in Hockley, Texas.
Donche-Gay leads the team with a 74.43 stroke average in eight appearances this season. She had her best round when she shot a 67 on the final round of the Clover Cup on March 13. She is tied with Remington Isaac with 91.67% of her rounds counting toward the team score.
"Her wedge play, Manon had a little bit of a down period, but she really practiced, and her wedge play was her strong point in the fall, and is coming back sharp," K-State head coach Kristi Knight says. "What I've been impressed with is she's driving the ball very well this semester. From fall to spring, she's gained a little distance off the tee, and is driving the ball well. She's hitting a lot of fairways."
Her improved wedge game, coupled with her improved drives, could make her a weapon during her debut in a Power 5 championship. K-State has had an up-and-down year and will go to battle against the nation's best conference in women's golf. Six teams are ranked in the national standings, including No. 6 Oklahoma State, No. 14 Texas, No. 16 Baylor, No. 22 Texas Tech, No. 30 TCU and No. 37 Iowa State.
"I'm really super excited," Donche-Gay says. "I'm looking forward to playing against a really strong field to see where I'm at. I feel ready. I want to finish strong."
Donche-Gay, who transferred to K-State from Daytona State Community College prior to the season, started her Division I career strong on September 21. That's when she climbed the leaderboard with an impressive final round at the Marilynn Smith/Sunflower Invitational. She shot a 1-over par 73 in a late rally to tie for fifth in her second tournament at K-State. Donche-Gay also finished tied for 13th at the Auburn Invitational on April 5 and tied for 25th at the Clover Cup on March 13.
Her performances came off an impressive junior college career capped by a NJCAA Region VIII Championship and a third-place overall finish in the NJCAA Women's Golf Championship at Plantation Bay Golf & Country Club in Ormond Beach, Florida.
Donche-Gay starred at Viera High School in Melbourne, Florida, but knew that she wanted to ease into college and went the junior college route to polish her craft before reaching the Division I level.
As a sophomore at Daytona State, she stood out while leading her team to a No. 2 finish in the NJCAA ranks.
Knight learned of Donche-Gay through Daytona State head coach Laura Brown, who spoke highly of Donche-Gay's practice habits, demeanor and being an outstanding teammate. Donche-Gay never took an official visit to K-State due to COVID pandemic protocols, but through a series of Zoom conversations and a virtual tour said she knew K-State was where she wanted to further her golf career.
"I had never been to Kansas, but I wanted to experience something different and knew the ability to experience weather would be good for my game," Donche-Gay says. "Florida has all the same type of courses. I wanted to change. At K-State, everyone is so friendly. It's like a big family."
All of Donche-Gay's family lives in France, but she knows they're a phone call away.
"At Daytona State, initially I dealt with homesickness a little bit," she says. "Sometimes I do miss my family. It's hard sometimes, but I get to call them. I know that I'll see them again when the time comes. I know I'll enjoy much more my time with them and I'll appreciate the time I have with them. I'll see them eventually. Right now, I'm focused on the present."
And presently, she carries the beat of the metronome in her head. Tick-tock, tick-tock. Up-and-down, up-and-down. So often, players can overlook the fundamental concepts of getting the ball up-and-down. For Donche-Gay, it's like breathing. And it can take her far.
She hopes to be in the thick of things in the final round on Sunday.
"I've definitely improved this year," she says. My distance off the tee has improved. My wedge is my strength. I want to finish my first season strong and take that into my senior season at K-State.
"The Big 12 Championship is a good way to finish this off and see where the challenge takes me."
Manon Donche-Gay has a simple process when embarking upon her craft. She turns on her metronome. The metronome allows her to swing in rhythm. The metronome enhances the backbone of playing good golf. The tick-tock, tick-tock, lulls her into a zone, almost a trance, and she hits her wedge up-and-down and up-and-down — a graduated skill developed through hours upon hours of practice on the fringe and the cushy greens at Colbert Hills Golf Course.
"I practice it over and over again," Donche-Gay says. "I have a feel for it. I have a good wedge game. It's the favorite part of my game. I'm creative with it. I like to imagine shots."
It's a carefully managed talent. Born in Avignon, France, Donche-Gay lived in Bradenton, Florida, the first time her mother dropped a bunch of golf balls around the green and cut Manon loose to see how many she could loop up-and-down and into the hole. Manon was 8 years old.
Today, the wedge is the bread-and-butter of Donche-Gay's golf game, and a skill that figures to be her best asset when the junior college transfer joins her Kansas State teammates at the 2022 Big 12 Championship, which runs Friday through Sunday at the par-71, 6,249-yard Houston Oaks Golf Club in Hockley, Texas.
Donche-Gay leads the team with a 74.43 stroke average in eight appearances this season. She had her best round when she shot a 67 on the final round of the Clover Cup on March 13. She is tied with Remington Isaac with 91.67% of her rounds counting toward the team score.
"Her wedge play, Manon had a little bit of a down period, but she really practiced, and her wedge play was her strong point in the fall, and is coming back sharp," K-State head coach Kristi Knight says. "What I've been impressed with is she's driving the ball very well this semester. From fall to spring, she's gained a little distance off the tee, and is driving the ball well. She's hitting a lot of fairways."
Her improved wedge game, coupled with her improved drives, could make her a weapon during her debut in a Power 5 championship. K-State has had an up-and-down year and will go to battle against the nation's best conference in women's golf. Six teams are ranked in the national standings, including No. 6 Oklahoma State, No. 14 Texas, No. 16 Baylor, No. 22 Texas Tech, No. 30 TCU and No. 37 Iowa State.
"I'm really super excited," Donche-Gay says. "I'm looking forward to playing against a really strong field to see where I'm at. I feel ready. I want to finish strong."
Donche-Gay, who transferred to K-State from Daytona State Community College prior to the season, started her Division I career strong on September 21. That's when she climbed the leaderboard with an impressive final round at the Marilynn Smith/Sunflower Invitational. She shot a 1-over par 73 in a late rally to tie for fifth in her second tournament at K-State. Donche-Gay also finished tied for 13th at the Auburn Invitational on April 5 and tied for 25th at the Clover Cup on March 13.
Her performances came off an impressive junior college career capped by a NJCAA Region VIII Championship and a third-place overall finish in the NJCAA Women's Golf Championship at Plantation Bay Golf & Country Club in Ormond Beach, Florida.
Donche-Gay starred at Viera High School in Melbourne, Florida, but knew that she wanted to ease into college and went the junior college route to polish her craft before reaching the Division I level.
As a sophomore at Daytona State, she stood out while leading her team to a No. 2 finish in the NJCAA ranks.
Knight learned of Donche-Gay through Daytona State head coach Laura Brown, who spoke highly of Donche-Gay's practice habits, demeanor and being an outstanding teammate. Donche-Gay never took an official visit to K-State due to COVID pandemic protocols, but through a series of Zoom conversations and a virtual tour said she knew K-State was where she wanted to further her golf career.
"I had never been to Kansas, but I wanted to experience something different and knew the ability to experience weather would be good for my game," Donche-Gay says. "Florida has all the same type of courses. I wanted to change. At K-State, everyone is so friendly. It's like a big family."
All of Donche-Gay's family lives in France, but she knows they're a phone call away.
"At Daytona State, initially I dealt with homesickness a little bit," she says. "Sometimes I do miss my family. It's hard sometimes, but I get to call them. I know that I'll see them again when the time comes. I know I'll enjoy much more my time with them and I'll appreciate the time I have with them. I'll see them eventually. Right now, I'm focused on the present."
And presently, she carries the beat of the metronome in her head. Tick-tock, tick-tock. Up-and-down, up-and-down. So often, players can overlook the fundamental concepts of getting the ball up-and-down. For Donche-Gay, it's like breathing. And it can take her far.
She hopes to be in the thick of things in the final round on Sunday.
"I've definitely improved this year," she says. My distance off the tee has improved. My wedge is my strength. I want to finish my first season strong and take that into my senior season at K-State.
"The Big 12 Championship is a good way to finish this off and see where the challenge takes me."
Players Mentioned
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