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BANK OF HOPE FOUNDERS CUP

March 16, 2018

Marina Alex

Phoenix, Arizona

Q. Beautifully played today. 6-under 66. It's your sixth year on tour. What are you learning about yourself and your game? You've become so much more consistent.
MARINA ALEX: Yeah, I'm just learning to handle my emotions a little bit better and be patient and just really trust everything that I've been working on for the past three or four years with my putting, with my full swing.

It's finally just coming together, which has been great. The past year or so has been just a little bit of progress. Hopefully just keep progressing this year.

Q. You've worked yourself to the point where you have been in contention a few times. It hasn't quite paid off. What have you learned from that to help you this weekend?
MARINA ALEX: Yeah, I'm definitely learning from my mistakes. Even Singapore two weeks ago. I was kind of right there and then I kind of fell off a little bit.

Just trying to really stay focused on what's going on right in front of me and not get too far ahead of myself. It's only Friday. There are still two more days.

This is my fifth year playing the Phoenix tournament. I know how low the scores can get. Just got to go out there and attack as much as I can tomorrow and Sunday and see where that puts me.

There are a ton ever great players right around that 8-under number. They're all going to probably be going low the next two days.

Q. (Recording in progress.)
MARINA ALEX: ...on 6, the par-3.

Q. Nice.
MARINA ALEX: Yeah, I didn't quite get all the way back to the pin, but it was a pretty huge breaker and it just like fell perfectly into the hole. It was a great putt.

Then I made a pretty long one on 13 kind of up the hill left to right. It's makable putt and I made it. It was a little bit of length. Probably like 25 feet.

Yeah, so those are two key putts. Yeah, missed a short one on 16 for birdie, but it was a tricky pin. Had a lot more slope than it seemed.

17 was a great pin. I was like happy to get away with a two-putt.

Overall, it was a good finish.

Tough to make putts this late in the afternoon when everybody has been on the course.

Q. 66 today. Great a day today. The smile on your face says the entire story.
MARINA ALEX: Yeah.

Q. You're right there at the top of the leaderboard. How are you feeling?
MARINA ALEX: Feel good. You know, there are still couple little things, ball striking, that I feel could get a little bit tighter going into the weekend, and I hope that it does.

Other than that, I'm happy with the progress that I made today from yesterday, so looking forward to the weekend.

Q. Tell us about your off-season. You were talking about feeling more comfortable and getting your swing where you want it. How are you feeling at the early part of the year?
MARINA ALEX: You know, I had a really rough start at Bahamas, and I kind of was I think a little rattled. Maybe it wasn't a good indication of what the year was going to hold.

I was really happy with how I finished in Australia. I kind of just like picked away at the week. I went from not feeling good to start to like a really strong weekend, and that helped my confidence and my momentum all the way through to this event.

Just trying to do the best I can at feeling comfortable in these situations and having faith in myself.

Q. I guess this is the million dollar question, but how did you go from contending to winning a golf tournament?
MARINA ALEX: You're right. It is the million dollar question. A lot of experience and learning from the mistakes you make when you're in a position like that. The things you don't do right, you try to correct that and just manage yourself the best you can.

For me, just trust my strengths and play my game and play within myself and just not try and do things I maybe shouldn't be trying to do.

Q. On this type of golf course with the scores that have been put up historically, what do you have to do this weekend?
MARINA ALEX: You know, I think it'll be totally he weather-dependant. I don't know how warm it's supposed to get, if the wind is going to blow. Just going to take it as it comes.

If the conditions are favorable tomorrow, scores will be low. So just attack and take advantage of everything you can.

If that's not the case, just adjust the game plan and play what's in front of me.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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