By: Max Bechtoldt
Its been a long time since Marina Alex was in legitimate contention on the LPGA Tour. Her last top-five finish was in September of 2022 and her last win was May of that year. She has dropped to No. 145 in the Rolex Rankings, but, she has had some results that can sow optimism for the Chevron Championship.
In round one of the first major of the year, Alex came out swinging, shooting a -4 68 to take a spot in second place. This should be a pretty positive position considering the tougher afternoon conditions. While she hasn’t played the strongest golf over the last two years, she has been on an upswing. In five starts this year, Alex has two top-20 finishes, including a top-10 at the Tournament of Champions.
Alex last played in the Solheim Cup in 2019, where the winning point was scored against her. Like Keegan Bradley, she is likely hungry to get back on the team and win the cup back. She only has one career top-10 in a major, back at the 2014 AIG Women’s Open.
Alex’s 68 fit her style overall. She had one bogey with five birdies. She hit fairways, 13/14 of them. Her putting numbers were strong with just 26 for the round, and she hit 12 greens. It’s a strong start for a solid player trying to have a signature career moment.
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