Maja Stark is Great. At 25 years old, she wins the 80th edition of the US Women’s Open 2025 and lifts the first Major of her career. The sixth Swede in history to win one of the major events in world golf (Annika Sorenstam, Anna Nordqvist, Pernilla Lindberg, Liselotte Neumann, and Helen Alfredsson). No European had won this tournament since 2006, precisely since Sorenstam did.
Stark did it her way, without much fuss, without drawing attention, but like a predator that once it has caught its prey, it doesn’t let go. She ended up winning by four strokes. She wasn’t the best in any particular aspect of the game, she was the best overall in the tournament, that’s what counts. No one truly challenged her.
The key moment came at the eleventh hole of Erin Hills, it was 22:56 Spanish time when Maja made a statement. The former Oklahoma State student holed a four-meter putt on the 11th hole that lifted her to eight under par. At that same moment, Nelly Korda missed a par putt from a similar distance. It opened a three-stroke gap that would ultimately be decisive. Three holes later, she sealed it with a great birdie on the 14th after a second shot that went to the back of the green and rolled to within four meters of the flag. She was close to an eagle, but the birdie closed the door on her rivals, who struggled to make pars.
It must be said that Maja also had the luck champions need. A great bounce on an erratic drive on the 5th hole saved her from trouble, and a swing that wasn’t good from the 6th tee ended up three meters from the flag. She took advantage of the stroke of luck and made the first birdie of the day, which returned her to the solo lead. She never let it go.
It wasn’t to be. The first Spanish Major will have to wait, it doesn’t seem like it will be long, but it will have to wait. Julia López (+1) felt the logical tension of facing such a situation for the first time. Still, she didn’t let herself go at any moment, but a painful triple bogey on the last hole took her out of a top-ten finish. The player from Benahavís started with understandable nerves, her short game let her down on holes 2 and 3, causing bogeys. Although she made a birdie on the 5th hole, she stumbled again on the 7th and 8th. She kept her composure and reached the last hole within the top ten of the tournament. However, a tough eight on the final hole relegated her to the 19th position. A round of 79 strokes, which is a lesson and learning experience. It’s the first big final round of her career. There will be more, no doubt.
How Erin Hills defended itself this weekend. The lead on Friday night was at eight under par and finished at seven. Very fast greens on surfaces that are really undulating and very difficult to control. A long course with elevation changes that make it very difficult to control the ball and with many blind shots from the tee. A more than interesting cocktail.
If last year Nelly Korda (-5) won the Chevron and Maja finished second, this year the adventure ended exactly the opposite. The World Number One is not the US Women’s Open champion, beyond Stark’s good performance, due to the lack of finesse with the putter this Sunday. She played very well in the rest of her game. Even so, she finished second at Erin Hills tied with Rio Takeda (-5) in what is already her best participation in this tournament.
Carolina López Chacarra (+7), the second Spaniard remaining in the competition, finished with a final round of 76 strokes. The Madrid native closed the first Major of her career in a notable 36th position. The spotlight was on Julia, but Carolina closes a great US Women’s Open.
