ERIN, Wis. — Sweden`s Maja Stark admitted she had lost her confidence leading into the U.S. Women`s Open.
Her decision to stop dwelling on those worries proved to be the catalyst for her victory at the most prestigious event in women`s golf.
The 25-year-old Swede carded an even-par 72 on Sunday, successfully holding onto her lead throughout the final round. Her impressive four-day total of 7-under 281 at Erin Hills secured her the championship by a margin of two strokes over world No. 1 Nelly Korda and Japan`s Rio Takeda.
“I think I just stopped trying to control everything and kind of let things happen naturally,” Stark commented. “During practice, I discovered that hovering the club slightly above the ground before hitting released some tension. I believe consistently following my routines and finding small techniques like that was crucial this week, as I prefer not to depend solely on confidence.”
Stark becomes the sixth Swedish woman to claim a major golf title, and the first since Anna Nordqvist won the Women`s British Open in 2021. This triumph also marks Stark`s second career win on the LPGA Tour.
The former Oklahoma State University player is the first Swede to win the U.S. Women`s Open since Annika Sorenstam captured her third title in 2006. The only other Swedish champion of this event was Liselotte Neumann in 1988.
“They texted me yesterday and simply said, `Bring it home`,” Stark mentioned, referring to her fellow Swedish golfers.
Stark`s remarkable composure and steady play were key factors in holding off the challenges from Korda and numerous other top players.
Maja Stark of Sweden holding her trophy after winning the U.S. Women`s Open golf tournament at Erin Hills.
Korda finished her round with a 71, while Takeda shot a 72, resulting in a tie for second place. Hye-Jin Choi (68), Ruoning Yin (70), and Mao Saigo (73) shared fourth place at 4 under par. Hailee Cooper (70) and Hinako Shibuno (74) finished at 3 under par.
Stark`s playing partner, Julia Lopez Ramirez, who began the day just one shot off the lead, fell out of contention early after carding a 79, finishing tied for 19th place. Lopez Ramirez`s round included a difficult triple bogey on the 18th hole.
This performance represents Korda`s closest approach to winning the U.S. Women`s Open in her career.
Korda spoke during the week about her “complicated relationship” with this championship; her previous best finish was a tie for eighth place in 2022 at Pine Needles. She missed the cut in this tournament last year following an opening round of 80.
“I first played this event when I was just 14, so perhaps I have a more emotional connection to it,” Korda stated. “It`s certainly broken my heart a few times… Last year`s outcome was definitely a blow, but that`s just how golf is. You`re going to experience more losses than wins most of the time.”
“I feel like playing the U.S. Women`s Open really teaches me a lot about myself and my game, highlighting areas where I need to improve, as it truly tests every facet of your play.”
Korda made birdies on Holes 7 and 8 but narrowly missed a 9-foot birdie putt on Hole 9 that would have brought her level with the leader. Korda`s attempt came only minutes after Stark`s impressive streak of 21 bogey-free holes concluded on the 7th.
Stark then extended her lead back to three strokes by sinking a 14-foot birdie putt on Hole 11, immediately after Korda missed a par putt from just under 5 feet on Hole 13.
Korda, Shibuno, and Takeda managed to close within two strokes of Stark with birdies on the par-5 14th. However, Korda missed a 14-foot putt for eagle, and Shibuno also missed her eagle attempt from 9½ feet.
Stark responded with a crucial birdie of her own on Hole 14, restoring her three-stroke advantage at 9 under par. She maintained that lead through the final holes, despite bogeying the 17th and 18th.
“I didn`t look at the leaderboards until around the 17th hole,” Stark stated. “I just caught a quick look. It was reassuring. I wasn`t as nervous as I expected because I felt like I had a degree of control over my game and knew what was happening.”
Stark attributed part of her success to her caddie, Jeff Brighton, a former standup comedian. He helped her remain relaxed on the course by telling jokes and ensuring she didn`t become overwhelmed by the high stakes.
“We just tried to talk about other things and not focus too much on my individual putts,” she said.
Brighton commented on Stark`s focused approach: “I`d say Maja is quite an intense player. She puts in a lot of effort and is very competitive, so when a player is that focused, between shots you try to help them take their mind off the game.”
He was notably wearing a cheesehead hat, similar to those frequently seen among fans at Green Bay Packers games, adding a touch of local flavor to the victory celebration.
Stark`s ability to maintain her composure allowed her to secure the substantial $2.4 million prize from the year`s most lucrative women`s golf event. Now, she faces the pleasant task of deciding how to utilize her significant winnings.
“Maybe moving out of my studio apartment could be one thing,” Stark quipped.