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Marina Alex, Nasa Hataoka fight wind en route to Day 1 LPGA Drive On Champ. lead

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Marina Alex closed with a birdie on the par-5 18th for a 7-under 65 and a share of the first-round lead with Nasa Hataoka on Thursday in the windy LPGA Drive On Championship at Crown Colony.

Alex birdied all four par-5 holes and had five birdies in a row on Nos. 9-13 in her bogey-free morning round. The 31-year-old American won the 2018 Portland Classic for her lone LPGA Tour title.

“I really putted nicely today,” Alex said. “The first couple holes were kind of tough just getting used to the wind and figuring out how far everything was playing.