Sweden’s Maja Stark wins the U.S. Women’s Open for her first main championship

Stark shot an even-par 72 to complete at 7-under 281, two strokes forward of top-ranked Nelly Korda and Japan’s Rio Takeda.

Stark earned $2.4 million within the largest occasion of the ladies’s golf season. The 25-year-old Stark turned the sixth Swede to win a ladies’s main, and the primary since Anna Nordqvist within the 2021 Women’s British Open. The former Oklahoma State participant is the primary Swede to win a U.S. Women’s Open since Annika Sorenstam in 2006.

Stark gained her second second LPGA Tour title. She additionally gained the 2022 ISPS Handa World Invitational in Northern Ireland, an occasion co-sanctioned by Ladies European Tour.

Korda closed with a 71, and Takeda had a 72.

Hye-Jin Choi , Ruoning Yin and Mao Saigo tied for fourth at 4 underneath. Hailee Cooper and Hinako Shibuno have been 3 underneath.

Stark took a one-stroke lead into the ultimate spherical and had mentioned Saturday she wished to verify she performed freely, noting that “no one has ever played well when they’ve been playing scared, and I think that’s been my habit before, to just kind of try to hang on to it.”

It was her consistency that in the end made the distinction as Stark stayed forward all through the day and held off the challengers.

This nonetheless was as shut as Korda has come to successful a U.S. Women’s Open. Her finest earlier end was a tie for eighth place in 2022 at Pine Needles.

Korda made birdied Nos. 7 and eight, however missed a 9-foot birdie putt on No. 9 that may have tied her for the lead. Korda’s birdie try on No. 9 got here minutes after Stark’s bogey-free streak ended at 21 on No. 7.

Stark then prolonged her result in three by making a 14-foot birdie putt on No. 11 instantly after Korda missed a par putt of slightly below 5 ft at No. 13.

Korda, Shibuno and Takeda bought inside two strokes of Stark with birdies on the par-5 14th, although Korda missed a 14-foot eagle putt and Shibuno missed an eagle try from 9 1/2 ft.

Stark then made a birdie of her personal on No. 14 to regain her three-stroke benefit at 9 underneath. She bogeyed the final two holes.

Her taking part in companion, Julia Lopez Ramirez, fell out of competition early on her solution to 79 that left her tied for nineteenth. Lopez Ramirez had a triple bogey on 18.

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