It was a little more than a routine stop on the PGA Tour for Steve Marino. Flying to North Carolina for the Wachovia Championship, the Fairfax native had just earned the biggest check of his rookieseason, $157, 500, closing with a round of 67, and getting some national TV face time at the Byron Nelson Championship.
After landing in Charlotte, Marino located a booth welcoming players, filled out paper work for his courtesy car, stepped outside, and saw his ride for the week — a new Mercedes-Benz sedan.
“All the players got a Mercedes that week,” said Marino. “It wasn’t anything special for them. For me, it was a pretty big deal.”
It was one of several highlights this season for Marino, a graduate of W.T. Woodson High and the University of Virginia. The 27-year-old has made the cut in nine of 13 tournaments, and earned $487,212, ranking 79th on the money list. To retain a spot on the tour, Marino must finish in the top 125.
“Things are going well, but I can do better,” said Marino. “What I need to develop is more consistency week to week.”
The 6-foot, 180-pound Marino has surprised even himself with his length in his rookie season. His average drive (297.9 yards) ranks No. 10 on the tour. But his accuracy (51.2 percent) is 178th.
“I’m hitting it farther than I thought I was capable of,” said Marino. “But I’m not in the fairway as much as I need to be. My overall ball striking was much better last year. It’s kind of been on and off this year.”
Here’s what Marino agrees is better this year: the money. In 20 starts on the Nationwide Tour in 2006, Marino made $134,038. He secured his slot on the PGA Tour with an eighth-place finish at the grueling, six-round PGA Q-School in December.
As a PGA Tour player, Marino is taking the good with the bad.
“I’ve had 50-year-old men call me sir,” said Marino. “That’s a little hard to get used to.”
MARINO FILE
» Marino spent his formative years at Country Club of Fairfax.
» Last year in the Grey Goose Tour Championship in Scottsdale, Ariz., Marino shot a 13-under 59.
» In his first PGA tournament, the Sony Open in Hawaii, Marino was paired with Michelle Wie for the first two rounds. He finished 34th, winning $26,325.
