Maja Stark of Sweden captured her first major championship on Sunday, winning the 80th U.S. Women’s Open with a composed performance at Erin Hills.
The 25-year-old carded an even-par 72 in the final round to finish at 7-under 281, securing a two-shot victory over world No. 1 Nelly Korda and Japan’s Rio Takeda.
Stark, who entered the week with low expectations after missing three cuts in eight starts this season, became the third Swede to win the prestigious event, following Liselotte Neumann (1988) and Annika Sorenstam (2006). Stark earned $2.4 million for her maiden major win.
“This just feels huge,” Stark said. “Before this week, I was worried that I wasn’t going to play decent golf for a while. You always know it’s possible, but there are so many good golfers on this tour.”
Stark held a one-shot lead entering the final round and maintained her poise despite pressure from a strong chasing pack. Korda, seeking her first U.S. Women’s Open title, closed to within one shot after a front-nine 34 but bogeyed the 13th as Stark birdied the 11th, restoring a three-shot cushion. Stark reached 9 under with a birdie on the 14th and could afford bogeys on the final two holes to seal the win.
Korda and Takeda tied for second at 5 under, with Korda carding a 71 and Takeda a 72. Korda’s runner-up finish marked her best result in the championship, surpassing an eighth-place tie in 2022.
“I feel like I learn a lot about my game in this event because it tests every part of it,” Korda said. “Congrats to Maja on an amazing performance.”
Korean Hyejin Choi (68), China’s Ruoning Yin (70), and Japan’s Mao Saigo (73) tied for fourth at 4 under.
Stark’s victory was celebrated by compatriot Linn Grant, who doused her with champagne on the 18th green.
“I just stopped trying to control everything and let it happen,” Stark said of her mindset shift. “I realized if I hovered the club a bit before I hit, it released tension. That helped.”
The win marks Stark’s second LPGA Tour title, following her 2022 Handa World Invitational victory, and solidifies her as a rising star. A former standout at Oklahoma State, Stark turned professional in 2021 and has six Ladies European Tour wins. She represented Europe in the Solheim Cup and competed at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Stark’s caddie, Jeff Brighton, donned a cheesehead hat in a nod to Wisconsin’s Green Bay Packers fans, adding levity to the celebration. “Maja’s intense, so we try to keep her mind off golf between shots,” Brighton said. “She was a joy to watch today.”
The LPGA Tour moves to the ShopRite LPGA Classic in New Jersey next, with the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, the next major, set for June 19-22.
