ERIN, Wis. — Maja Stark continued the steady play she had demonstrated all week to win the U.S. Women’s Open and claim her first major championship Sunday at Erin Hills.
Stark shot an even-par 72 to finish at 7-under 281, two strokes ahead of top-ranked Nelly Korda and Japan’s Rio Takeda.
Stark earned $2.4 million in the biggest event of the women’s golf season. The 25-year-old Stark became the sixth Swede to win a women’s major, and the first since Anna Nordqvist in the 2021 Women’s British Open. The former Oklahoma State player is the first Swede to win a U.S. Women’s Open since Annika Sorenstam in 2006.
Stark won her second LPGA Tour title. She also won the 2022 ISPS Handa World Invitational in Northern Ireland, an event co-sanctioned by the Ladies European Tour.
Korda closed with a 71, and Takeda had a 72.
Hye-Jin Choi (68), Ruoning Yin (70) and Mao Saigo (73) tied for fourth at 4 under. Hailee Cooper (70) and Hinako Shibuno (74) were 3 under.
Stark took a one-stroke lead into the final round and had said Saturday that she wanted to make sure she played freely, noting that “no one has ever played well when they’ve been playing scared, and I think…
