When looking at the best single-tournament performances of the year, there’s a lot to pick from. Chisato Iwai was dominant in her first victory in Mexico, and A Lim Kim and Minjee Lee weren’t particularly challenged in their victories. But, nothing compares to what Maja Stark did at Erin Hills this season.
The U.S. Women’s Open was brutally difficult. Erin Hills was a punishing course where the difference in three strokes could come down to mere inches. The best in the world, for the most part rose to the top. Nelly Korda, Ruoning Yin, Rio Takeda and Angel Yin were among the stars in contention. Maja Stark, looking for her second LPGA Tour event, and first major, in fairly dominant fashion.
Stark won by two strokes over Korda and Takeda, but it never felt all that close. Though Korda fell apart on 18 because of desperately aggressive play, Stark was already in “protect the lead” mode. She played both 17 and 18 ultra conservatively because she had the luxury to do so, and made bogeys on the last two holes.
Before those two holes, Stark somehow only had two bogeys across the third and fourth rounds. The cliché when it comes to USGA setups is that bogeys will happen, prevent double bogeys, well, Stark was for the most part preventing bogeys as well. Stark did not make a single double bogey all week.
Stark felt like the only player who had control over the course. Everyone else seemed befuddled at times or on edge, but not Stark. She hit every shot with supreme confidence.
Over the week, Stark was No. 20 in strokes gained off the tee. That led to her being No. 3 in strokes gained approach. When she did get on the green, she was fantastic, finishing No. 5 in strokes gained putting. She was No. 8 for the week in greens in regulation, and averaged 1.76 putts per hole, well less than the field.
Stark was solid in every round, there wasn’t one individual day where she pulled away, it was just consistency. She was one of only three players to shoot par or better every day.
