Heartbreak For Lexi Thompson & Nelly Korda as Beloved LPGA Colleague Bids Goodbye After 11 Years
The goodbyes are always hard. And this time, it’s to bid farewell to the golf world and LPGA pro Marina Alex. With the CME Group Tour Championship as her last event, Alex officially stepped away as a full-time member of the LPGA Tour. And what a year it was. With back-to-back top-10 finishes in Asia and nearly collecting a third LPGA win at the TOTO Japan Classic, it seemed like Alex would head into the 2025 season with full force. But, of course, she had other plans.
Looking back, Alex had a remarkable career, one that many could only dream of. She joined the Tour in 2013, and in her 11 years she won twice, claiming the FIR HILLS SERI PAK Championship in 2022 and the Portland Classic in 2018. She also represented her country at the 2019 U.S. Solheim Cup, earning two points in her first and only appearance at the prestigious event. Over her career, she earned more than $5 million, with $719,855 of that coming in the 2024 season alone. Impressive, right? Maybe that’s why it was so hard for Alex to say goodbye to such a great career.
“It’s always hard to say goodbye,” Alex shared. “I know this is what I want, and it’s the right decision for me right now. That doesn’t change the fact that this is a life that I built for the last 11 years out here, and golf has been my life since I’ve been a kid. We’re about to enter a new world of a new identity. It’s great, but change is never easy.”
In a heartfelt Instagram post, Alex paid tribute to the sport and her LPGA family. Reflecting on her 25+ years in golf, she spoke about the love she felt for the game, despite its challenges. She acknowledged the deep connections golf gave her—career, friendships, and the peace of knowing she gave her absolute best. “The one word that keeps coming back to me as I’ve reflected on this last week of my career on LPGA is oddly enough LOVE,” she wrote.
