August 3, 2021 – Rising star of Spanish golf Ana Pelaez has today announced that she has turned professional, two days before competing on home soil in the Ladies European Tour’s Aramco Team Series – Sotogrande.

The 23-year-old will take to the tee at La Reserva Club alongside some of the biggest names in golf less than 90 minutes from the Añoreta Golf at Rincón de la Victoria, where she first started playing golf aged six, and the Río Real Golf & Hotel in Marbella, which she joined in 2007.

Her rise to professional follows an impressive amateur career that saw the Malaga-born star climb to be the 11^th best amateur in women’s world golf.

Ana said: “It’s very exciting. I’ve been waiting for this moment my whole career and I’m just ready and super excited to play here this week – as a pro! Sooner or later this year I was going to turn professional, but then I was invited to play in this prestigious tournament, so didn’t think twice. I’m playing with the best players in the world and am thrilled to be having my first professional tournament here with them.”

She added: “It means everything to me to have my first professional tournament on home soil here in Spain. It’s like a dream come true. I’m turning professional close to my hometown and my family. It’s a gift for me and for them and it means a lot. I’m not sure if it is an advantage, but I can say I’m very comfortable here. I love this weather and I guess I’m used to the grass, too. Definitely having my family and team here will help. I’ll be in my comfort zone.”

It was through her father Germán Peláez’s love of golf that Ana first fell in love with the game as a child – rejecting his offer of plastic toy clubs in favour of the real thing aged just six. That passion was spotted by coach Sergio de Céspedes, who has worked with Ana for the 17-years since, helping guide her to a highly successful amateur career.

As a rising star of the women’s game, Ana is a two-time champion of the Copa Andalucía Femenina (Andalusian Ladies Cup), and last year bagged the Santander Golf Tour Madrid title – a professional event. She also finished third in the Spanish Open, an LET event.

She completed a scholarship in South Carolina, being made a WGCA All-American, and played in the US Women’s Open, the Augusta National Women’s Amateur and the Arnold Palmer Cup earlier this year, as well as racking-up a catalogue of second place and top ten finishes.

Following her debut tournament as a professional this week, she is looking to head back to the USA in the hope of achieving an LPGA Tour Card, as well as playing in every event she can both sides of the Atlantic.

Ana Peláez said: “I was lucky to finish [my amateur career] in a good way, with a really good last year. I played Augusta, the Arnold Palmer Cup, and a bunch of professional events where I finished really well. I think I was able to learn a lot ahead of moving into professional golf.

“From now on, my team and I have scheduled until December. We’re going to play the LPGA Q-School and see how that goes. I’d like to play LPGA and LET – basically as many tournaments as I can.”

That starts this week, with the $1million Aramco Team Series – Sotogrande, where she will compete as part of a team, but also with the chance to win big as a solo-player, too.

In doing so, she will be part of a superstar field of players – many of whom she has grown-up idolising.

“I love everything about the Aramco Team Series format,” said Ana. “Golf is a very individual sport and every time I’ve had the chance to play in a team, I’ve been very excited. I love to play well for my team and as an individual, so to be able to do both at the same time is going to be great.

“I’ve watched Lizette Salas in so many Solheim Cups and Georgia Hall for the past four years, so I’m a really big fan of both those players. Playing with them this week would be a dream come true and something I would remember for the rest of my life.”

In the field, Ana – who will be caddied for by her friend, Fabiola de Céspedes, a junior golfer, all this week – will be joined by a host of Spanish players, all of whom have been making waves in women’s golf.

However, while Spain still awaits its first female major champion, Ana certainly has her eyes on making sure that wait isn’t a long one, as she arrives in Sotogrande no short of ambition.

She said: “Spanish golf is currently in a very good condition. I think the Federation has done a very good job in helping amateur and professional players. I think we’ll have a lot of Spanish women go on to win majors in the future, just like Jon Rahm and Sergio Garcia have in men’s golf.”

Asked what she would like to achieve in the game, Ana responded: “I’d say everything! I am very ambitious about everything I do, especially in the mindset side of the game. Do I see myself winning a major? Definitely. That’s why I’m here – that’s why I turned pro. I want to play Solheim Cups, the Olympics, win a major, all as soon as I can. That’s what I work for.”

The Aramco Team Series – Sotogrande gets underway on Thursday at La Reserva Club, Sotogrande – running through until Saturday.