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COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. -- The 66th U.S. Women's Open is in full swing at the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs.

Beginning Thursday, players will tee off in the first round of the golf tournament. Among the competition is Mariel Galdiano, who qualified for the Open in May at the age of 12.

It was only a few weeks ago that Galdiano was studying for her seventh grade exams. This week she will take on her toughest test yet.

"I'm nervous, a little bit," the teenage golfer said. "Coming out here with the pros and seeing all these big galleries, it is pretty exciting, too."

Just days after her thirteenth birthday, Galdiano will take her best swing against some of golf's finest as the youngest golfer in the U.S. Women's Open. Though a bit nervous, she said she is not as intimidated as many would think.

"Well, maybe just a little bit," Galdiano said.

Some of the intimidation sunk in Wednesday morning when Galdiano recieved tips on technique from the legendary Annika Sorenstam, who won her first U.S. Open title 16 years ago at the Broadmoor.

"That was mind blowing," Galdiano said. "I remember when I was a little girl I would watch her from behind the ropes and think, 'I want to get her autograph one day!' Now I am finally standing next to her thinking, 'This is a legend!'"

Now that she is on the other side of that rope, many girls are watching Galdiano in awe. To her fans, Galdiano offers the same advice she received when she was the girl in the stands.

"Follow your dreams. Don't let your parents push you to do what you don't want to do," she said. "If you like golf, then go for it."

Galdiano will 'go for it' Thursday morning at 9 a.m., as she chases her dream of becoming a professional golfer.