Entering the U.S. Women`s Open at Erin Hills in Wisconsin, Maja Stark was reportedly struggling with her confidence.
However, a significant shift in her mindset – letting go of those worries – proved to be the catalyst for her triumph in the most prestigious event in women`s golf.
The 25-year-old Swedish golfer secured her lead with a final-round, even-par score of 72 on Sunday, maintaining her position at the top throughout the day. Her impressive four-day total of 7-under 281 at Erin Hills gave her a two-stroke advantage over world No. 1 Nelly Korda and Rio Takeda from Japan, who tied for second place.
`I think that I just stopped trying to control everything, and I just kind of let everything happen the way it happened,`
Stark elaborated on her change in approach, explaining that during practice rounds, she discovered a minor adjustment – slightly hovering the club above the ground before striking the ball – helped release physical tension. She felt that focusing on her process and implementing such small technical cues was key to her success this week, rather than depending solely on her confidence level.
This victory makes Stark the sixth Swedish player to win a major championship in women`s golf, and the first since Anna Nordqvist claimed the 2021 Women`s British Open title. It also marks Stark`s second career win on the LPGA Tour.
A former player for Oklahoma State University, Stark is the first Swede to win the U.S. Women`s Open since Annika Sorenstam earned her third title in 2006. The only other Swedish winner of this championship was Liselotte Neumann in 1988.
`They texted me yesterday and just kind of said, `Bring it home,“
Stark`s consistent and steady play proved decisive as she successfully fended off challenges from Korda and numerous other competitors.
Korda finished her final round with a 71, while Takeda shot a 72, resulting in their tie for second place. Hye-Jin Choi (68), Ruoning Yin (70), and Mao Saigo (73) finished tied for fourth place at 4-under par. Hailee Cooper (70) and Hinako Shibuno (74) finished the tournament at 3-under par.
Meanwhile, Stark`s playing partner, Julia Lopez Ramirez, who began the day just one stroke behind the leader, struggled early in her round and finished with a score of 79, placing her in a tie for 19th. Lopez Ramirez`s round included a triple bogey on the final 18th hole.
For Nelly Korda, this performance marked her best finish to date at the U.S. Women`s Open, an event she has described as having a `complicated relationship` with. Her previous best was a tie for eighth place in 2022, and she missed the cut last year after an opening round of 80.
`I played this event when I was 14 years old, so maybe a little bit more emotional about it. I mean, definitely it`s gotten my heart broken a couple times. … To have that showing last year definitely put a dagger into my heart, but that`s just golf. You`re going to lose more than you win a majority of the time.
`I feel like I actually learn a lot about myself and my game and where I need to improve playing the U.S. Women`s Open because it does test every part of your game.`
During the final round, Korda made birdies on holes 7 and 8 but missed a 9-foot putt on the 9th that would have brought her into a tie for the lead. This opportunity arose shortly after Stark`s impressive 21-hole bogey-free run concluded on the 7th hole.
Stark then widened her lead to three strokes with a 14-foot birdie putt on the 11th hole, immediately following Korda`s missed par putt from under 5 feet on the 13th hole.
Korda, Shibuno, and Takeda managed to close the gap to two strokes by birdying the par-5 14th hole. However, both Korda and Shibuno missed eagle opportunities on that hole, from 14 feet and 9.5 feet respectively.
Stark responded immediately by making a birdie on the 14th herself, restoring her comfortable three-stroke cushion at 9-under par. She ultimately held on for the win despite bogeying the final two holes.
`I didn`t look at the leaderboards until I was on like 17,` Stark said. `I caught a glimpse of it. It was nice. I wasn`t as nervous as I thought that I would be because it felt like I have somewhat control of my game and I kind of know what`s going on.`
Stark attributed part of her success to her caddie, Jeff Brighton, a former standup comedian. She said he helped keep her relaxed throughout the round by telling jokes and preventing her from dwelling too much on the pressure of the situation.
`We just kind of tried to talk about some stuff and not be too into my own putt,`
`I would say Maja`s quite an intense player. She tries really hard and is really competitive, so when [a player`s] intense, you`re trying between shots to just get their head away from golf.`
Brighton was noted for wearing a cheesehead hat during the tournament, a common sight at Green Bay Packers games.
Stark`s composure allowed her to secure the win and the substantial $2.4 million prize, the largest payout of the year in women`s golf. Her next enjoyable task? Deciding how to spend the significant winnings.
`Maybe move out of my studio apartment can be one thing,`
Jasper Hawthorne