Maja Stark teeing off on the way to her record victory at the U.S. Women’s Open Erin Hills. In doing so she captured her first major championship win! Stark, a junior at the time, had a phenomenal tournament run. Her 7-under 281 total capped off a remarkable comeback, as Doodle began the final round with a one-shot lead. She ended up two strokes clear of Nelly Korda and Rio Takeda. This victory goes a long way to solidify her status as a rising star in women’s golf.
Stark’s route to victory opened her brilliance, consistency and skill up for the world to see. She fired an even-par 72 in that last loop, but it was enough to hold onto her advantage. Consistency was the name of the game for Stark all day, crowning her with a $2.4 million prize— the biggest payday available during the women’s golf season.
The 23-year-old golfer started the final round with a one-stroke lead and widened the gap early on. Stark hit a 14-foot birdie putt on the 11th hole, expanding her lead out to two strokes. She made birdie on her 14th hole of the day, moving her to 9 under par overall. This stunning strike helped her retake a three-shot edge on her nearest competitors.
Stark’s remarkable run of 21 straight bogey-free holes came to an end when he made a bogey on the ninth hole. It was her resiliency and grace that really came through. She called for confidence to be the name of the game, saying,
“No one has ever played well when they’ve been playing scared, and I think that’s been my habit before, to just kind of try to hang on to it.” – Maja Stark
With this victory, Stark cemented her second LPGA Tour title. In addition to her victory, she made history as the sixth different Swede to win a women’s major championship. She is the first Swedish golfer to achieve this feat since Anna Nordqvist won the Women’s British Open in 2021.
Stark just recently celebrated winning the U.S. Women’s Open. Prior to that, she won the 2022 ISPS Handa World Invitational in Northern Ireland. Her play this week at Erin Hills only cements her position as one of the true superstars of women’s golf.
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