After realizing the “American Dream” and earning a career total $1.7 million playing golf in the Ladies Professional Golfers Association, what more is there to do? Become an American citizen. This is the hope of former LSU golfer Jenny Lidback, who played golf for LSU in 1986.
Lidback, a resident of Scottsdale, Ariz. said being in the United States during Sept. 11, 2001 made her realize how important it was for her to be an American citizen. She passed the citizenship test and is awaiting her official ceremony, set to take place this Friday.
“September 11 made me realize how much I love this country,” Lidback said. “I’m not going to live anywhere else.”
Lidback said she is very proud to be a citizen of the United States.
“I think it’s made my friends very proud, too,” she said. “Any time you see a foreigner change citizenship to [be a citizen] where you’re from it’s exciting.”
Perhaps LSU had something to do with Lidback’s positive opinion of the United States. Even though she was not a native to this country, Lidback said she enjoyed her time here.
“LSU was so big and diverse,” she said. “Everyone accepted you. It didn’t matter who you were.”
Lidback’s time at LSU was short but meaningful.
“I only played [golf] one year for LSU, but we had a great time,” Lidback said.
Lidback, a native of Lima, Peru came to the United States in 1975 when her father took a job transfer. Lidback originally played golf for Texas Christian University from 1981 to 1983 where she was a member of the 1983 NCAA national championship team. However, she decided to move to Baton Rouge – where her family resided – to attend LSU.
“We had coach problems [at TCU],” Lidback said. “It seemed like we could never play well enough for the coach. It was very negative. It was affecting me and my golf.”
Due to NCAA regulations, Lidback had to sit out of competition for a year and a half before getting to compete for LSU. After practicing with the team for a year, she was finally able to compete for the Tigers and Lidback said she was glad she made the move.
“[LSU] made me love golf again,” she said. “We weren’t the best golf team, but I had so much fun with the girls on the team. I knew I wanted to make golf my career.”
During 1986, Lidback won seven individual collegiate titles for LSU and was named Player of the Year. She also earned All-American honors while a Tiger. After graduating from the University with a degree in journalism, Lidback went on to a successful career in the LPGA.
Her most outstanding accomplishment was when she won the du Maurier Ltd. Classic in 1995, one of the LPGA’s four major championships. She also finished tied for second in the First Union Betsy King Classic in 1999. In that same year she recorded her third career hole-in-one during the Naples LPGA Memorial.