In less than a week, Russell Marion went from a complete unknown in the Alaska golf community to Arctic Valley Open champ and then the first player to take down Rob Nelson in a challenge match. Marion now sits at No. 3 in the AGB rankings, but may be the best player in the state. He accomplished all this with a Taylor Made driver made before he was born.

The story began at the Moose Run driving range Friday, when Marion, 22, ran into local golf pro Brandon Kaiser, who suggested Marion play in the Arctic Valley Open that weekend. The AVO is the 36-hole Moose Run club championship and Marion signed up at the last minute.

“I had nothing else to do this weekend, so why not,” Marion said.”I haven’t played a tournament in a while. I tried to just take it easy and not try to do anything extra.”

After an 80 in the first round on the Hill Course, nobody was asking who he was. After a 73 at the Creek Course won him the event by eight shots, nobody was asking who he was. If it wasn’t for Herschel Deaton playing with Marion in the final round and later telling everyone about the 25-year old driver Marion was using all day, the AGB might not have taken notice.

Marion joined the Army in 2016 and moved to Alaska in May of 2017 from North Carolina, where he grew up. He didn’t bring his golf clubs to Alaska.

“I was too cheap to send my clubs and bag up here last year,” he said.

He bought a set at a thrift store for $15, a set that included the driver, three-wood and 1-iron he still carries in his bag. Last April, he went home and gathered his irons, wedges and putter and put them in his Alaska bag. The AVO was his first golf tournament in Alaska. He hasn’t kept a GHIN handicap for two years. Marion learned the game of golf playing with his dad and brothers, but didn’t play a lot of junior events.

“I never really pushed myself, I guess,” he said.

Marion became more serious in high school and started to practice more, but said he only played in a handful of tournaments, winning one small event he barely remembers. Since moving to Alaska more than a year ago, he only played the Creek Course five or 10 times and said he usually plays from the black tees. He credited his final-round 73 to a good day on the greens and said putting is his strongest skill.

“I was pushing a lot of iron shots today,” Marion said. “I played pretty good, but I feel like I could have played better.”

He used the driver and three-wood during the final round of the AVO, but didn’t try the 1-iron. He usually hit the driver about 260 yards, he said.

“I’m not a really big hitter. I just kinda keep it in play.”

He kept it in play well enough to make seven birdies at Palmer Golf Course on Wednesday and defeat Rob Nelson in a challenge match. Nelson also made seven birdies, but lost 2-down.

“Russell is a true gentleman and a wonderful player,” Nelson wrote on Facebook. “Really can’t say enough about this young man. My hybrid is bigger than his driver.”

The key to his game comes more from loads of practice than from natural talent, Marion said, and he discovered something useful while practicing the day before the AVO.

“At the range Friday I was working on my grip, just trying to loosen it up a little bit, get the club in my fingers more and I feel like that really helped,” he said.

Marion was three shots off the lead entering the final round of the AVO and there were four golfers in front of him, so he played in the penultimate group. He didn’t know any of the guys he played with or any of the players in the final group, but he knew he had a chance to win.

“I never really thought about the guys playing behind us at all,” Marion said. “I was just having a good time.”