PHOTO: TT News Agency
Golfer Maja Stark finished second in the Chevron Championship in Texas: her first major finish of her career.
The Swede has been looking for the wrong – and now found the right.
– It makes me very happy, two months ago nothing really worked, says Stark.
Maja Starks previous best result in a major was her ninth place in the US Open last year.
That record high is now history.
The Swede had an impressive fourth round in Texas, with three birdies – two of which came on holes 17 and 18 respectively – which meant 69 strokes, three under par. It was enough for second place, which gives her a prize check of the equivalent of SEK 7.2 million.
“I figured it out”
At a press conference after the competition, Maja Stark answered the background to the success.
– Two months ago, it didn’t look like this. It was actually horrible, nothing really worked for me. Then I analyzed everything and figured it out, with a lot of help from my coaches.
The article continues below.
What did the 24-year-old change after his analysis?
– Much is about technology. But my putting – the putter was all wrong before so now I can trust my putting a lot more. Also very mental. I don’t think I shot in the water once this week. I tend to be like a magnet to the water. Earlier I was thinking that I shouldn’t shoot there and then I made a mistake and did it.
Skip the profanity
Another mental aspect Stark took to this year’s first major was trying not to swear after bad holes. Instead, she would immediately focus on the next one.
– I think it helped. I felt like I moved on much faster and didn’t get as emotional.
However, neither Stark nor anyone else could crack the world number one Nelly Korda – the American won with a total of 275 strokes, two strokes ahead of Stark and three ahead of third place Lauren Coughlin and Brooke M. Henderson.
The win in Texas is Korda’s second career major title after winning the PGA Championship in 2021. It was also the American’s fifth straight win on the LPGA Tour – a streak she now shares with Nancy Lopez (1978) and Annika Sorenstam (2004–2005).
Lynn Grant and Anna Nordquist finished tied for 17th in a total of 286 strokes while Madeleine Sagström with his 288 strokes ended up tied for 30th place.
READ MORE: Ludvig Åberg’s new giant show – the super shot just makes the entire golf world stand up and applaud: “Dirty good!”
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