LPGA DRIVE ON CHAMPIONSHIP

February 3, 2022

Marina Alex

Crown Colony Golf & Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. All right, Marina, nothing like starting off here at Crown Colony with a bogey-free round. Just what was working so well for you today?

MARINA ALEX: I really putted nicely today. The first couple holes were kind of tough just getting used to the wind and figuring out, you know, how far everything was playing.

I made a really good save on -- I want to say it was No.4 I think it was, long par-4. I really miss-clubbed myself off the tee and was way back and then had like a 3-wood in.

Made a good up and down to keep some good momentum going. Then there was a drivable -- reachable par-5, two-putt birdie, so kind of just kept me going in the right way.

I made some good saves along the way, and then I know that the end of that front nine and into the beginning of the back nine there are birdie holes. 10, 11, 12, and 13 are kind of shorter, 12 being a par-5.

So I was actually able to take advantage, which was nice. Hit some good wedges, good putts, and kind of kept everything rolling.

Q. Nice consecutive streak there. When did you really feel the momentum kick in for you?

MARINA ALEX: Probably after 11. I made a really nice putt for my third birdie there in a row, and then hit a great shot on 12 close. I think it was like inside six feet.

Then another really good shot on 13, probably about an eight-footer. So just kind of kept it going.

Then the final stretch of holes are kind of tough. 14, 15, 16 -- 17 was definitely a birdie putt out there, but 14, 15, 16 were tough holes. Luckily 18 playing downwind made it pretty reachable to get to like the approach there.

Most everyone I think was able to clear that water hazard, so kind of makes it a different hole.

Q. Absolutely.

MARINA ALEX: Yeah.

Q. And then having to deal with these wind conditions, this wind over here...

MARINA ALEX: Well, last week really kicked our butts into gear real quick because it went from being beautiful on Thursday and Friday to horrible on Saturday.

So that was a shock to the system. I really showed that. I played pretty poorly that day. Just made a lot of mistakes not judging wind correctly, not judging green speed and wind correctly, all those kind of rusty things that just -- I mean, got them out of the way.

Learned a lot really fast in that round, and even a little bit Sunday playing in the wind is -- you know, we've all been practicing a lot and you get into the rhythm of being on the range and just kind of hitting routine shots, stock shots, but then when you have to start actually playing shots with wind, it's a little bit of a different ballgame.

So I was thankful for those rounds. I mean, when you asked me in the moment I was probably really pissed and furious because I was having a good start and then I kind of just fizzled out there, but it definitely helped coming into today just being a little bit more prepared, so that was good.

Q. Have you recovered from the Bills?

MARINA ALEX: Yeah.

Q. I was following your Twitter.

MARINA ALEX: Yeah, no, my good friends in college, my best friend from college is from Buffalo and a big Bills fan. I've become friends with some of her friends. I've kind of just hopped on that bandwagon for the last few years because my Giants are terrible. (Laughter.)

We are a dumpster fire of a team. I hope we can get it together. We have a whole restructuring going on, which is probably going to be a good thing. For now, I was rooting for the Bills.

But, yeah, I just love football, so it's been good to watch. The games have been really great.

Q. Are you happy there is not one this weekend?

MARINA ALEX: Well, I mean, we finish Saturday so I would've been stoked for some games on Sunday. We'll be off for the Super Bowl, so I'm excited for that.

Q. We were in your backyard it seemed like last week.

MARINA ALEX: Kind of. It was like 40 minutes for me to go back and forth. It was nice to be in my own bed.

Q. Yeah, I remember the tournament also talking to us about how you have a real presence in the First Tee chapter down there as well.

MARINA ALEX: Yeah, I'm a director in the First Tee in Palm Beach, which this is my second year doing that. It's been awesome, awesome to learn about the First Tee and just kind of get involved.

I've made some really good connections through the community, and just trying to give back a little bit any way we can is really important. I mean, golf has given us a ton, all of us out here. The least we can do is just try to -- again, it's so much act like a founder. Just make it better. Make it better than what it was when you came in.

Whether that's here on the LPGA or working with your First Tee, anything, there is a lot of great programs out there. PGA of America has some good ones.

So there is definitely ways to get involved and kind of help out your community through golf, which is great.

Q. Now for you in this 54-hole event, how important do you think the start that you had today was?

MARINA ALEX: 54-hole events are always kind of important to have a good start because you have that one less day to possibly make up ground if you're a little bit behind.

So I've had some good success in 54-hole events in the past. I'm excited for the next two days, and just see what happens. I mean, I played a really great round of golf today, so I have to anticipate there might be a little bit of some up and downs along the way.

But that doesn't mean can't have a great week out here.