As the spread of COVID-19 has brought collegiate golf seasons to an unanticipated end, Duke University senior, Ana Belac, signed with Sterling Sports Management and turned professional this week. With a T61 finish in Q-School, Belac secured full Symetra Tour status for the 2020 season, and will begin competing once the schedule resumes.

Belac, 23, was born in Kranj, Slovenia, where the closest golf course was over 45 minutes away and had only nine, unkempt holes. Despite the challenges, Belac went on to build an impressive junior golf resume with the Slovenian national team. After claiming her place as the top female junior golfer in the country and representing Slovenia in the 2014 Youth Olympic Games, Belac moved to the United States to begin her collegiate golf career at Duke University.

In 2019, Belac led her team to their seventh NCAA Championship in school history. She is also tied for Duke’s fourth-lowest scoring average of all time. Belac was named All-ACC and WGCA Honorable Mention All-American in 2018 and 2019, Golfweek Third-Team All-American in 2019, and preseason Golfweek Second Team All-American in 2020. She was a member of the International Palmer Cup Team in 2019, was presented with the 2020 All-American Strength and Conditioning Athletes of the Year award, and also appears on the ANNIKA Award Watchlist for 2020.

Belac’s talent, class and determination all make her an excellent addition to the Sterling family. Her persistence through obstacles is sure to contribute to her success on the professional Tours as she tees off on the Symetra Tour later this year.