Under the Radar: Steve Marino

Occasionally I will be highlighting some players who I feel have played very solidly but do not get much attention in the golfing world. This week: Steve Marino.


Background
Born in Atlus, Oklahoma, Steve and his family moved to Virginia, which is where his golf game really began to develop. He won a Virginia High School Championship and received a scholarship to the University of Virginia. During his freshman year there in 1999, he won the Virginia State Amateur. He graduated in 2002 first team all-ACC, and set his sights on the pro tours. He was a member of the Nationwide Tour in 2006 and earned his PGA Tour card through Q-school, and has since kept his card. Although nearly 30, Marino is an up and coming player who is improving.


His Game
Marino's swing is silky smooth, and has a very consistent game. None of his individual stats stand out, but he is decent in GIR (which he was 21st last year) and total driving (30th in 2009). However, something that is outstanding is that he owned the ninth best scoring average on the tour last year at 69.9, indicating his solid play. He can be a bit inaccurate with the driver and his putter seemed a little balky under pressure situations last year, but nevertheless, he is a great all around player.

A quick look at his swing (from the 2009 Crowne Plaza Invitational):



Career Highlights
Since his rookie season on the PGA Tour in 2007, Steve has been very consistent, earning about $5.5 million so far in his career. He came very close to a win last year at the Crowne Plaza Invitational, losing in a playoff. Marino also was the leader of the 2009 British Open after two rounds before a disastrous third round put him out of contention. His most recent success came last week at the Northern Trust Open, where he tied for fifth place.