THE LPGA DRIVE ON CHAMPIONSHIP

January 25, 2024

Marina Alex

Bradenton Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. All right, I'm here with Marina Alex after her first round at the LPGA Drive On Championship; 3-under 68 today. Walk us through your round out there?

MARINA ALEX: Yeah, I had a really nice day today. Tough conditions. I mean, we maybe had a few calm holes, but then around 4 and 5 the wind picked up and probably going to be pretty blustery all day.

It was nice to get a competitive week in last week. That really helped me going into today. Lake Nona was great. Played tough, so kicked a lot of that competitive rust out of the way.

I just feel like all the things that I have been working on in this off-season are showing themselves right now, which is really nice to see. Hoping to continue that for three for days.

Q. Can you touch on some of the things you were working on last season?

MARINA ALEX: Sure. Yeah, he's been a terrible winter here in Florida, so I've been playing in a lot of days like this and way worse. I really just felt like overall the wind wasn't as rattling as it could have been to start the season.

I feel like I've been very comfortable in the last month playing a lot of rounds of golf, working with my coach on shot shaping, specifically using the wind, let it be your friend versus not using the wind.

I think my tendencies have been to always hit shots against the wind direction that is prevailing, and I'm trying to do something a little bit different than that. Use the wind and shape shots. I think overall, it's provided me a lot better results these last couple days and last week.

So I'm excited about that.

Q. You're always really open about what you're going through on the golf course.

MARINA ALEX: Yeah.

Q. Last year was tough.

MARINA ALEX: Yeah, the end of last year was a hard year. I think I put too much pressure on myself trying to make that Solheim team and that never bodes well. Expectations, you know, they get everyone in some way, shape, or form.

It was a bummer not to play CME. But it's okay. Things happen for a reason. I really took the opportunity to have an off-season to really work on what was wrong statistically more than mentally. Looking at the areas of my game that were weak on paper, and how to make those stronger.

I think that ultimately improves your mental game when you have a good game plan and you have a routine and something to work on. There is a lot less doubt then at that point about your abilities when you just kind of go out there and work on what needs to get improved upon and then execute that.

It provides a lot of confidence, and I think that will help me more than anything from a technical standpoint moving forward.

Q. You have a lot of tenacity. Going into this season, how much are you leaning on that to really propel you forward? It's worked so far.

MARINA ALEX: So far. I got a little bit of a tough road ahead of me in terms of trying to qualify for the U.S. Open, and I want to make sure I'm in that week and British Open as well.

So, yeah, I'm a little bit behind the eight ball than in years past, but bad years happen, and I'm super thankful to have the career that I've had. I mean, going ten years and still maintain a card. It's not anything like that, which I'm grateful for, but it's just not what I've been accustomed to in the last four to five years.

That's okay. I got to work through that.

Q. And you're not done yet, of course.

MARINA ALEX: Yeah.

Q. Headed back out to watch some more golf, not play. How excited are you for that opportunity?

MARINA ALEX: I am. I think it's going to be a really cool opportunity to walk with Tom and call some shots. Obviously be helpful that I was out there this morning.

I'm a little nervous, but I'm excited. You never know what the future holds, and it'll be a really great just kind of glimpse into that side of the industry and the world. Maybe it's something I like. We'll see. Hopefully they like me. (Laughter.)

Q. Any advice from anyone that's done it prior?

MARINA ALEX: Yeah, I took a little bit of advice from Maria just now. I asked her. She had did I think it was CME. Her and Jess were out there. You know, just make sure you turn your mic off in between so they don't pick up anything that's unwanted. (Laughing.)

Morgan gave me a lot of good advice yesterday. She was cruising around the course. Just make sure I'm myself, which I know everyone says, but try and give some insight into maybe what people would not already know.