By: Max Bechtoldt.
Hitting 4/7 fairways with 15 putts doesn’t exactly seem like a recipe for success on the first nine of a golf tournament, but it worked out just fine for Marina Alex.
The 33-year-old American opened with a -2 34 to kick off her round, currently having her in an early leading spot at the Drive On Championship. The scoring has been tough to come by, as more players currently are over par than under par, and with 10 players at +3 or higher.
Alex hit an astonishing 8/9 greens, which isn’t bad for a player not known much for her length off the tee. In 2023, Alex was No. 56 in strokes gained tee-to-green and No. 41 in strokes gained approach. While her ball-striking numbers floated around the average, early signs point to improvement for 2024.
It is a big year for Alex. The two-time winner on the LPGA Tour hasn’t grabbed a victory since early 2022 and has missed the last two Solheim Cup teams after making her debut in 2019. Her Solheim window is probably closing, and she would love to be in Virginia this September.
