Ana Belac enters elite US Open golf tournament with season-best result

Slovenian golfer Ana Belac is set to compete in the U.S. Open, the second major championship of the LPGA season, taking place at the Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, California. Belac is the sole Slovenian representative in the elite LPGA tour.

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It motivates me to put myself in this position again and again, to work hard even in weeks without competition and simply play golf.

Her recent performance at the ShopRite LPGA Classic in Galloway, New Jersey, saw her secure a season-best 14th-place finish. Belac carded rounds of 67, 74, and 69, finishing three strokes under par and sharing the position with six other players. This result earned her a prize of €22,800.

Belac's season started promisingly with a 43rd-place finish in China and 42nd in Mexico. However, she missed the cut in three subsequent tournaments: the JM Eagle LA Championship, the Ford Championship, and the Fortinet Founders Cup. The U.S. Open presents another opportunity for her to improve her standing.

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It's hard to explain, but for a very competitive person, there's nothing better than being in the fight for victory on the last holes of a tournament.

The tournament's favorite is American Nelly Korda, the current world number one. Korda has had a dominant season, winning three tournaments and securing second place in three others in her first six starts. Her major win this season came at the Chevron Championship. Despite a recent eighth-place finish at the Queen City Championship, Korda expressed strong motivation for the U.S. Open, emphasizing the thrill of competing for a win in the final holes.

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Even if it doesn't turn out as desired, you always want to be in such a position because that's why all the effort you put in during preparations makes sense.