With a final-round 65, Marina Alex erased a six-stroke deficit and captured her first LPGA victory at the 2018 Cambia Portland Classic at Columbia Edgewater Country Club.
The 28-year-old New Jersey native carded eight birdies on Sunday, and despite a closing bogey, finished four strokes clear of 54-hole leader Georgia Hall, who stumbled to a 3-over 75. Alex led after 18 holes with a tournament-record-tying 10-under 62, and her six-stroke comeback is the largest of the 2018 LPGA season.
“It’s been a lot of hard work,” said Alex, who has defending Portland champion Stacy Lewis’ caddie Travis Wilson on the bag while Lewis is on maternity leave. “I haven’t been in a ton of contention situations. A few here and there. But I really just didn’t know how to handle them, and I learned the best that I can. I’m just really happy.”
Japan’s Ayako Uehara (69) finished alone in third at 13-under par with Australian Minjee Lee, who struggled to a 77, securing the fourth-place spot at 11 under. American Megan Khang (69) rounded out the top five finishers at 10 under-par.
