'Longtime LPGA Tour player Marina Alex announces retirement'
Add Marina Alex to the roster of golfers who have retired from the LPGA Tour this year, as the two-time tournament champion has officially ended her career after tying for 12th place in the recent CME Group Tour Championship in Naples, Florida.
The New Jersey native and Vanderbilt graduate, who first joined the LPGA Tour in 2013, claimed victory at the Portland Classic in 2018 and the Palos Verdes Championship in 2022.
At 34 years old, Alex has accumulated a total of $5.0 million in career earnings, according to the LPGA. In the current season, she earned $720,000 and achieved 10 top-25 finishes and five top-10 finishes. Throughout her career, she has recorded 83 top-25 finishes and 35 top-10 finishes.
Alex's final round was a remarkable 6-under-par 66 on Sunday, which placed her in a tie with Jennifer Kupcho, Celine Boutier of France, and South Korea's Jin Young Ko. However, they were all 10 shots behind the winner, Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand.
\"Saying goodbye is always difficult,\" Alex expressed. \"Although I am confident in my decision and know it is the right one for me at this time, it doesn't change the fact that golf has been my life since I was a child. As I enter a new chapter and identity, I am excited but also aware that change is never easy.\"
Joining Alex in their final competitive rounds on Sunday were Lexi Thompson and Ally Ewing, who had previously announced their retirement. Thompson finished tied for 49th place at 2 under, while Ewing finished just behind Alex in a tie for 16th place at 11 under.
Other players bidding farewell to competitive golf this year include Scotland's Catriona Matthew, South Korea's So Yeon Ryu, Angela Stanford, Colombia's Mariajo Uribe, England's Laura Davies, South Korea's I.K. Kim, Amy Olson, Gerina Piller, and Brittany Lincicome.
