New Jersey Native, Marina Alex, Set to Compete in U.S. Women’s Open

Marina Alex
(Photo Credit: Leon Halip/Getty Images)

The 71^st U.S. Women’s Open tees off Thursday morning and out of the 156-player field, New Jersey will have one player representing: Marina Alex.

Alex, a four-year LPGA player and native of Wayne, New Jersey, will tee off at 5:25 p.m. Eastern Thursday on the 10^th hole for her first round at CordeValle, the 6,784-yard, par-72 layout in San Martin, California, along with playing partners Melissa Reid of England and Q Baek of Korea.

All three players will tee off for Friday’s second round at 12:12 p.m. Eastern from the 1^st hole.

Alex, who will be making her third U.S. Open appearance (2009, 2015), finished tied for 20^th-place in last year’s U.S. Open, shooting a 2-over (66-71-74-71–282).

Ranked 137^th in the latest Rolex Rankings, Alex missed the cut in last week’s LPGA Cambia Portland Classic (2-over 146), but recorded her career-best and first top 10 of the season back in late May, posting a 7-under 281 tying for sixth place in the LPGA Volvik Championship in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Alex, a Vanderbilt alum, was a two-time NJSIAA state champion at Wayne Hills High School and won one of those titles by a record-setting eight strokes.

Also with New Jersey ties are Pei-Yun Chien (10:22 a.m. ET, 1^st hole Thursday) of Rancho Santa Fe, California and Sophia Popov (10:05 a.m. ET, 10^th hole Thursday) of Naples, Florida.

Each earned top medalist honors during U.S. Women’s Open Championship Sectional Qualifying on May 24th, a one-day, 36-holes stroke play competition, at Canoe Brook Country Club’s North Course in Summit, New Jersey.

In 2017, the U.S. Women’s Open returns to New Jersey at Trump National Golf Club (Old Course) in Bedminster July 13-16.