Maja Stark
{{short description|Swedish professional golfer (born 1999)}}
{{use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{Infobox golfer
| name = Maja Stark
| image =
| imagesize =
| caption =
| fullname = Maja Sofia Stark
| nickname =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1999|12|10|df=y}}
| birth_place = Skurup, Sweden
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height = {{height|ft=5|in=9}}
| weight =
| nationality = {{SWE}}
| residence = Abbekås, Sweden
| spouse =
| partner =
| children =
| college = Oklahoma State
| yearpro = 2021
| status =
| tour = LPGA Tour
Ladies European Tour
| extour =
| prowins = 9
| lpgawins = 2
| letwins = 6
| jlpgawins =
| klpgawins =
| lagtwins =
| alpgwins = 1
| futwins =
| otherwins = 2
| majorwins = 1
| nabisco = 2nd: 2024
| lpga = T47: 2025
| wusopen = Won: 2025
| wbritopen = T41: 2022
| evian = T39: 2024
| wghofid =
| wghofyear =
| award1 = Big 12 Player of the Year
| year1 = 2020–21
| award2 =
| year2 =
| awardssection =
}}
Maja Sofia Stark (born 10 December 1999) is a Swedish professional golfer. She won her first major title at the 2025 U.S. Women's Open. She has six Ladies European Tour titles, and she earned LPGA Tour membership through her victory at the 2022 ISPS Handa World Invitational.{{cite magazine |title=Swedish upstart Maja Stark earns LPGA membership with a runaway win in Northern Ireland |url=https://www.golfdigest.com/story/maja-stark-lpga-tour-winner-ladies-european-tour |magazine=Golf Digest |first= Keely |last=Levins |date=14 August 2022 |access-date=15 August 2022}} As an amateur, she was in contention at the 2020 and 2021 U.S. Women's Open, and after turning professional in August 2021, she won two tournaments in three starts on the Ladies European Tour.{{cite web |title=Maja Stark Claims Second Let Win In Three Starts |url=https://ladieseuropeantour.com/blog/maja-stark-claims-second-let-win-in-three-starts/ |publisher=Ladies European Tour |access-date=10 October 2021}}
Amateur career
Stark grew up in Abbekås, Skåne County, and joined the Swedish National Team in 2016. She represented her country at the European Girls' Team Championship, where Sweden earned the silver in 2016 and won the gold in 2017. She was then part of the Swedish teams that won the European Ladies' Team Championship in 2018, 2019 and 2020, teamed with Frida Kinhult, Sara Kjellker, Ingrid Lindblad, Linn Grant, and Beatrice Wallin.{{cite web |title=Maja Stark Presentation |url=https://golf.se/for-spelaren/tavlingar/em/nyheter/maja-stark-20-ar-abbekas-gk.-en-offensiv-och-langtslaende-spelare-med-grymt-narspel-som-ger-forutsattningar-till-laga-scorer.-bidrar-med-attityd-och-gladje-till-laget/ |publisher=Swedish Golf Federation |access-date=11 December 2020}} She was also a member of the 2017 European Junior Solheim Cup team.{{cite web |url=http://www.ega-golf.ch/page/international-matches |title=International matches |publisher=European Golf Association}}
In August 2019, Stark made two starts in the LET Access Series and was runner-up at both, the Anna Nordqvist Västerås Open and the Swedish PGA Championship.{{cite web |title=Maja Stark Results |url=https://golfdata.se/guide/profil_resultat.asp?nr=52509 |publisher=Golfdata |access-date=11 December 2020}}
Stark was a freshman at Oklahoma State University in 2019–20, where she won the Hurricane Invitational in just her second career start.{{cite web |title=Roster: Maja Stark |url=https://okstate.com/sports/womens-golf/roster/maja-stark/9156 |publisher=Oklahoma State Athletics |access-date=11 December 2020}} She won the 2020 Arnold Palmer Cup at Bay Hill Club and Lodge, Bay Hill, Florida with the International team. She won two individual titles and ended the season ranked No. 4 by GolfStat with a 49–2 record in head-to-head competition against top-100 players in the country. She recorded a stroke average of 70.48, which destroyed the previous school record (71.14) set by Caroline Hedwall in 2010.{{cite web |title=Cowgirl Golf Sweeps Big 12 Golfer, Freshman, Coach Of The Year Awards |url=https://okstate.com/news/2021/6/3/womens-golf-cowgirl-golf-sweeps-big-12-golfer-freshman-coach-of-the-year-awards.aspx |publisher=Oklahoma State |access-date=6 June 2021}}
Stark rose to 6th place in the World Amateur Golf Ranking in July 2020{{cite web |title=Maja Stark |url=https://www.wagr.com/playerprofile/maja-stark-21444 |publisher=World Amateur Golf Ranking |access-date=11 December 2020}} and received an exemption for the 2020 U.S. Women's Open as one of the 20 leading amateurs, her first major championship, where she finished tied for 13th.{{cite web |title=20 Top Amateurs Added to 2020 U.S. Women's Open Field |url=https://www.usga.org/content/usga/home-page/championships/2020/u-s--women-s-open/articles/20-amateurs-added-to-2020-women-s-open-champions-texas.html#returnable |publisher=USGA |access-date=11 December 2020}} At the 2021 U.S. Women's Open she was tied for 9th after the third round, and finished tied for 16th after a final round of 74.{{cite web|url=https://www.lpga.com/tournaments/uswomensopenconductedbytheusga/results|title=U.S. Women's Open Leaderboard – Final|publisher=LPGA|date=6 June 2021|access-date=6 October 2021}}
Professional career
Stark turned professional in August 2021, with the intention to play on the Swedish Golf Tour and by invitations on the Ladies European Tour (LET), aiming to qualify for the LPGA Tour through qualifying school.{{cite magazine |first=Jesper |last=Johansson |title=Stark blir proffs: "Försöker alltid att vinna" |trans-title=Stark turns professional: ”Always trying to win” |url=https://www.svenskgolf.se/artiklar/tournytt/20210813/stark-blir-proffs-forsoker-alltid-att-vinna/ |magazine=Svensk Golf |language=sv |date=13 August 2021 |access-date=13 August 2021}} She won her first professional title, the PGA Championship by Trelleborgs Kommun on the LET Access Series, in her second career start the same month.{{cite web |title=Stark Secures Maiden Professional Win |url=https://letaccess.com/stark-secures-maiden-professional-win/ |publisher=LET Access Series |access-date=24 August 2021}}
In early September, Stark claimed her first LET title at the Creekhouse Ladies Open, finishing four shots ahead of compatriot Linn Grant, in the process earning membership of the LET.{{cite web |title=Maja Stark Claims First Let Victory After Quality Performance at Creekhouse Ladies Open |url=https://ladieseuropeantour.com/blog/maja-stark-claims-first-let-victory-after-quality-performance-at-creekhouse-ladies-open/ |publisher=Ladies European Tour |access-date=5 September 2021}} Less than a month later, she won her second LET title at the Estrella Damm Ladies Open.
Stark started her 2022 LET season strong. She was runner-up and low woman at the Trust Golf Asian Mixed Stableford Challenge in Thailand, fending off all but Sihwan Kim of the Asian Tour. On the two stops of the LET's Australian swing, she was runner-up at the Australian Ladies Classic, one stroke behind Meghan MacLaren, and won the Women's NSW Open by five strokes ahead of compatriot Johanna Gustavsson.{{cite news |title=Rising Swede Stark wins Women's NSW Open |url=https://thewest.com.au/sport/golf/rising-swede-stark-wins-womens-nsw-open-c-6640988 |newspaper=The West Australian |access-date=1 May 2022}}
In July she won the Amundi German Masters by one stroke over Leonie Harm and Jessica Karlsson, re-taking the top spot in the Order of Merit ahead of Linn Grant and Johanna Gustavsson.{{cite web |title=Race to Costa Del Sol |url=https://ladieseuropeantour.com/costa-del-sol-order-of-merit/ |publisher=Ladies European Tour |access-date=3 July 2022}}
In August, she won the ISPS Handa World Invitational in Northern Ireland with a commanding five stroke margin. The event, co-sanctioned between the LPGA and LET, was played concurrently with a tournament on the European Tour on the same course. The victory earned her membership of the LPGA Tour.{{cite magazine |title=Ewen Ferguson And Maja Stark Secure ISPS Handa World Invitational |url=https://www.golfmonthly.com/news/ewen-ferguson-and-maja-stark-secure-isps-handa-world-invitational-titles |magazine=Golf Monthly |first=Matt |last=Cradock |date=14 August 2022 |access-date=15 August 2022}} Stark made her LPGA debut as a member at the Portland Classic where she finished top-10, three strokes behind winner Andrea Lee.{{cite web |title=Maja Stark Makes LPGA Tour Debut After Stellar Mentorship |url=https://www.lpga.com/news/2022/maja-stark-makes-lpga-tour-debut-after-stellar-mentorship |publisher=LPGA Tour |access-date=21 September 2022}}
Stark started 2023 with a runner-up finish at the LPGA Tour's Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions in January, and won her sixth LET title four shots ahead of Linn Grant at the Lalla Meryem Cup in February.{{cite web |title=Maja Stark Sees Out Victory At Lalla Meryem Cup To Land Sixth LET Title |url=https://ladieseuropeantour.com/blog/maja-stark-sees-out-victory-at-lalla-meryem-cup-to-land-sixth-let-title/ |publisher=Ladies European Tour |access-date=11 February 2023}} In September, she represented Europe in the Solheim Cup for the first time in her career. She went 2–1–1 in the event, including a Sunday singles win against the reigning U.S. Open champion, Allisen Corpuz to help Team Europe stage a comeback from behind to retain the cup.{{Cite magazine |date=2023-09-24 |title=2023 Solheim Cup Sunday singles results: Europe retains trophy in Spain with late heroics from Carlota Ciganda |url=https://golfweek.usatoday.com/lists/2023-solheim-cup-sunday-singles-scores-results-usa-europe/ |access-date=2024-04-23 |magazine=Golfweek |first= Adam |last=Woodard}}
In April 2024, Stark finished solo second to world number one Nelly Korda at the 2024 Chevron Championship, at that time, her career-best finish in a major championship.{{Cite web |title=Nelly Korda Wins Fifth Consecutive Title at The Chevron Championship |url=https://www.lpga.com/news/2024/nelly-korda-wins-fifth-consecutive-title-at-the-chevron-championship |access-date=2024-04-23 |publisher=LPGA |first=Sarah |last=Kellam |date=21 April 2024}}
Stark won her first major title at the 2025 U.S. Women's Open at Erin Hills in Erin, Wisconsin. She secured a two-stroke margin of victory and became the first Swedish winner of the event since Annika Sörenstam in 2006.{{cite news |last=Hudson |first=Elizabeth |title=Sweden's Stark holds nerve to win US Women's Open |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/golf/articles/cg71eeyel25o |work=BBC Sport |access-date=2 June 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250602071241/https://www.bbc.com/sport/golf/articles/cg71eeyel25o |archive-date=2 June 2025 |date=2 June 2025 |url-status=live}}
Awards, honors
In her sophomore year 2020–2021 at Oklahoma State University, Stark was awarded Big 12 Conference Player of the Year, and was the Big 12's lone WGCA First Team All-American.
In 2024, she was awarded honorary member of the PGA of Sweden.{{cite web |title=PGA of Sweden, Utmärkelser, Hedersmedlemar |trans-title=PGA of Sweden, Awards, Honorary Members |url=https://www.pgasweden.com/om-pga-of-sweden/pga-utmarkelser/honorary-members/ |access-date=6 November 2024 |publisher=PGA of Sweden |language=Swedish}}
Amateur wins
Professional wins (9)
=LPGA Tour wins (2)=
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
! Legend |
| style="background:#e5d1cb;"
|Major championships (1) |
| Other LPGA Tour (1) |
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
! No. ! Date ! Tournament ! Winning score ! To par ! Margin of ! Runner(s)-up ! Winner's |
| align=center|1
|align=right|14 Aug 2022 |ISPS Handa World Invitational{{ref label|Note1|1|1}} |align=right|69-70-69-63=271 |align=center|−20 |5 strokes |{{flagicon|USA}} Allisen Corpuz |225,000 |
| style="background:#e5d1cb;"
|align=center|2 |align=right|1 Jun 2025 |align=right|70-69-70-72=281 |align=center|−7 |2 strokes |{{flagicon|USA}} Nelly Korda |2,400,000 |
{{note label|Note1|1|1}}Co-sanctioned by the Ladies European Tour.
=Ladies European Tour wins (6)=
| class="wikitable " style="font-size:95%;"
!No. !Date !Tournament !Winning score !To par !Margin of !Runner(s)-up |
| align=center|1
|align=right|5 Sep 2021 |align=right|72-65-71-71=279 |align=center|−9 |4 strokes |{{flagicon|SWE}} Linn Grant |
| align=center|2
|align=right|3 Oct 2021 |align=right|74-69-65=208 |align=center|−8 |2 strokes |{{flagicon|SLO}} Pia Babnik |
| align=center|3
|align=right|1 May 2022 |Women's NSW Open{{ref label|Note2|2|2}} |align=right|68-69-66-70=273 |align=center|−15 |5 strokes |{{flagicon|SWE}} Johanna Gustavsson |
| align=center|4
|align=right|3 Jul 2022 |align=right|68-68-67-70=273 |align=center|−15 | 1 stroke |{{flagicon|DEU}} Leonie Harm |
| align=center|5
|align=right|14 Aug 2022 |ISPS Handa World Invitational{{ref label|Note3|3|3}} |align=right|69-70-69-63=271 |align=center|−20 |5 strokes |{{flagicon|USA}} Allisen Corpuz |
| align=center|6
|align=right|11 Feb 2023 |align=right|71-67-69=207 |align=center|−12 |4 strokes |{{flagicon|SWE}} Linn Grant |
{{note label|Note2|2|2}} Co-sanctioned by the WPGA Tour of Australasia.
{{note label|Note3|3|3}} Co-sanctioned by the LPGA Tour.
=LET Access Series wins (1)=
| class="wikitable " style="font-size:95%;"
!No. !Date !Tournament !Winning score !To par !Margin of !Runner-up |
| align=center|1
|align=right|23 Aug 2021 |PGA Championship by Trelleborgs Kommun{{ref label|Note4|4|4}} |67-70-68=205 |align=center|−8 |1 stroke |{{flagicon|ENG}} Lily May Humphreys |
{{note label|Note4|4|4}} Co-sanctioned by the Swedish Golf Tour.
=Other wins (1)=
- 2016 Wake Up Skurup! Open (Swedish Mini tour Futures Series) (as an amateur){{cite web |title=Wake Up Skurup! Open |url=https://golfdata.se/sgfranking/tournament_results?CompID=FD1616B |publisher=Swedish Golf Federation and Golfdata AB |access-date=17 December 2023}}
Major championships
=Wins (1)=
| class="wikitable"
!Year!!Championship!!54 holes!!Winning score!!Margin!!Runners-up |
| style="background:#FBCEB1;"
| 2025 | 1 shot lead | −7 (70-69-70-72=281) | 2 strokes | {{flagicon|USA}} Nelly Korda, {{flagicon|JPN}} Rio Takeda |
=Results timeline=
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;text-align:center;"
!Tournament !! 2020 !! 2021 !! 2022 !! 2023 !! 2024 !! 2025 |
| align=left|Chevron Championship
|style="background:#eeeeee;"| |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |T37 |style="background:yellow;"|2 |T44 |
| align=left|U.S. Women's Open
|T13 |T16 |CUT |style="background:yellow;"|T9 |CUT |style="background:lime;"|1 |
| align=left|Women's PGA Championship
|style="background:#eeeeee;"| |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |CUT |T60 |T47 |
| align=left|The Evian Championship
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|NT |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |CUT |CUT |T39 |CUT |
| align=left|Women's British Open
|style="background:#eeeeee;"| |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |T41 |T50 |T71 | |
{{legend|lime|Win}}
{{legend|yellow|Top 10}}
{{legend|#eeeeee|Did not play}}
CUT = missed the half-way cut
NT = no tournament
T = tied
=Summary=
| class=wikitable style=text-align:center
!Tournament !! Wins !! 2nd !! 3rd !! Top-5 !! Top-10 !! Top-25 !! Events !! Cuts made | ||||||||
| align=left|Chevron Championship | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| align=left|U.S. Women's Open | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 4 |
| align=left|Women's PGA Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
| align=left|The Evian Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
| align=left|Women's British Open | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Totals | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 19 | 13 |
|---|
- Most consecutive cuts made – 6 (2024 Women's PGA − 2025 Women's PGA)
- Longest streak of top-10s – 1 (three times)
World ranking
Position in Women's World Golf Rankings at the end of each calendar year.
Team appearances
Amateur
- European Girls' Team Championship (representing Sweden): 2016, 2017 (winners)
- European Ladies' Team Championship (representing Sweden): 2018 (winners), 2019 (winners), 2020 (winners), 2021
- Junior Solheim Cup (representing Europe): 2017
- Arnold Palmer Cup (representing the International team): 2020 (winners)
Source:{{cite web |url=http://www.ega-golf.ch/page/european-team-championships |title=European Team Championships |date=16 October 2015 |publisher=European Golf Association}}
Professional
- International Crown (representing Sweden): 2023
- Solheim Cup: 2023 (tie, cup retained), 2024
= Solheim Cup record =
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size: 95%;"
! Year !! Total |
| Career
|8 |3–3–2 |1–0–1 |2–2–0 |0–1–1 |4 |50.0 |
| 2023
|4 |2–1–1 |1–0–0 def. A. Corpuz 2&1 |1–1–0 lost w/ L. Grant 2&1 |0–0–1 tied w/ E. Pedersen |2.5 |62.5 |
| 2024
|4 |1–2–1 |0–0–1 tied w/ L. Coughlin |1–1–0 won w/ E. Pedersen 2 up |0–1–0 lost w/ E. Pedersen 3&2 |1.5 |37.5 |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{LPGA player|maja-stark/101601}}
- {{LadiesEuroTour player|301040}}
- {{WWGR|6953}}
- {{Golfdata|52509}}
{{Navboxes
|title=Maja Stark at the Solheim Cup
|list=
{{2023 European Solheim Cup team}}
{{2024 European Solheim Cup team}}
}}
{{U.S. Women's Open Champions}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Stark, Maja}}
Category:Swedish female golfers
Category:Ladies European Tour golfers
Category:Winners of LPGA major golf championships
Category:Oklahoma State Cowgirls golfers
Category:Olympic golfers for Sweden
Category:Golfers at the 2024 Summer Olympics
Category:Golfers from Skåne County