2020 was meant to be her year. She was going to become a professional after the summer, but the pandemic made her change her plans. She hasn’t came out badly from the situation since she just graduated from the University of South Carolina, and they have granted her funding for another year with the possibility of doing a master. She can as well still be a member of their golf team. Although she has proven to be brilliant in her business studies, Ana is sure that her future lies in golf and without fear, she is taking a step forward towards her dream. Smiley, calm and humble, that’s the best way to describe Ana Peláez Triviño, she is a promising talented golfer specialised in short distances.

2020 begun for Ana with the victory in the Andalucía Cup. After a year making technical changes in her swing, her efforts were beginning to show and she was finally finding good sensations. The tournament which was celebrated at Atalaya Golf & Country Club gave her the confidence of playing at home. Amongst her supporters, was her father Germán and Maria Parra, one of the first persons she hugged after the winning putt. She would then go back to the EEUU to finish her double degree in business and supply chain, as she explains: “ My intention is to play golf, but I always wanted to have a decent plan B, just in case anything happened. It is important to have a good career”. Her ideas were very clear: “ I had the intention of playing the Q-school to get into the LPGA”. But life, due to the pandemic, came to a stop for everyone, which turned upside down her plans. Ana had to change her project and now, having already a degree, she will go back to University to continue her studies: “I will repeat my final year. Without a season, the NCAA has decided to offer the seniors, the players from last year, to return for another year to finish the season. Since the LPGA tryouts have been moved to 2021, I spoke with my coach and I decided to go back for another year. Ideally I wanted to go pro this year and have the tryouts during the summer”, she sadly comments since she was ready to take the big step to the LPGA this year.

The current conditions of the female golf have pushed her to choose the American circuit instead of the European’s. As she comments: “ If the way is the LET then I will choose it, but my dream is to play with the best in the LPGA”. All her favourite players are in the American circuit: “I love Azahara and of course Carlota, because of her personality. I also like Lexi Thompson, Jon Rahm, even if he is a man, it is great to learn from them”, she says with an impish smile. It is precisely the difference between female and male golf what we discussed. She assures: “ I think feminine golf is developing and I hope it will keep growing until reaching equality with men. Maybe it is true that people enjoy more watching  men playing because of how they hit the ball, but we also have much to offer and I hope that will be shown in the future”.

Her self esteem and calmness are two of her greatest aspects. Ana feels safe when she is close to the green: “ I like to think that my strength is the putt and for now I feel like it is. I also know that I am going strong with the drive and that gives me the opportunity of having a second shot to the green within a shorter distance. I know that I would like to improve the shots from 140 and 150 metres. On the other hand I have always been okey with shorts shots around the green”.

Learning at a young age has helped her in the short game. Ana remembers how she, along with her brother, used to go with their father to the course: “ It was hilarious because my father wanted to play but he had to trick my brother into coming, while I was always willing to go. When I was six he gave me a set of plastic golf clubs, but I told him -I want the real ones- and since then I never let go of the club”.

While she was still at school Ana started obtaining her first victories, which resulted in the admiration of her classmates, as she happily explains: “ for my friends it was prideful, but I always asked them to take it normally and not to look at me differently. I wouldn’t want to lose my humility. Sometimes they used to tell me “you are a champion” and I replied “and you are an architect”.

Now she cannot wait to know how she will feel when she becomes a professional. She looks to the future with excitement and she assures: “ I want to be the next person to make history in the world of golf”. We are sure of it, and we wish you all the luck in the world for when you will finally be able to take this big step.