Marina Alex came from behind on Sunday to clinch her first the 2018 LPGA Tour title at the Portland Classic with a four-stroke lead.
The 28-year-old made birdies in the last five holes of the nine to go to take the lead and added birdies on the par-5 12th and par-4 15th at tree-lined Columbia Edgewater greens.
She handed a 65 (minus-7) card to forge an important lead over her closest rival Georgia Hall. The American golfer committed her only bogey of the day on the par -4 18th, leaving her at -19 under 269.
“My goal was 8 under to give myself a chance, but I even thought maybe that wouldn’t have been good enough. It was just an incredible day. I’m proud.” Alex said.
“I was trying purposefully not to look the leaderboard because I think sometimes it just gets me a little stressed out. I get anxious, and then I think: ‘Oh I have a lead, I need to protect it.
“I kind of the just pretended all day that I was behind and that I need to play catch-up. I think it really helped me just play my best. I didn’t know I had a four-shot lead until basicacally the third shot – no, after the third shot – into the green here on 18.” Alex added.
Alex gave caddie Travis Wilson his second win at the Portland tournament. Wilson has teamed up with Alex as Stacy Lewis, his main partner, getting ready for the birth of his first child.
“He’s such a wonderful guy. He has such a calm demeanour about him, and it definitely helped me relax, we had so much fun the past three weeks.” Alex said.
Caddie Travis Wilson and Stacy Lewis. (Source:www.wholehogsports.com)
Wilson, meanwhile, he spent three weeks with Alex. He claimed to be enjoying his strongest-ever working relationship with the winner.
“I’m so happy for her. She’s a great girl. She works hard. She’s close a number of times, and to be the guy that gets her through to get that first win, I’m going to remember that forever.” Wilson said.
Alex tied the course record on Thursday with a round of 62. She went on to win two rounds of 71, which put her six-time winner of the women’s British Open champion Hall, at the start of the round final.
