Even the loud USGA horn couldn’t stop her. Maja Stark’s round was interrupted by the USGA horn during Round 2 just as she was about to putt her final hole at the U.S. Women’s Open at Erin Hills. The horn signaled that time was up, and she had to complete that final putt in Round 3.

The move sparked chatter among fans, with some hinting at bias and questioning whether the rules would’ve been bent had it been a big name like Nelly Korda or Charley Hull. But Maja didn’t complain, and she stayed quiet, respected the rules, and let her victory do the talking.

Maja Stark made history and claimed her second LPGA major title; she finished with a 72-hole, 7 under par. But she was brutally honest; she did not expect to do this so soon. She said, “There are so many good golfers on this tour. It’s just, yeah, I don’t think I would be able to do it this week. I’ll be honest to say that.” But guess what she did; she indeed played the best among all the players in the field. She had the rhythm and had come close to beating Korda. Maja Stark is coming off back-to-back runner-up finishes, including at the Chevron Championship. But beating Korda, the current number one, is not a small victory and requires confidence at another level. Still, fans have one question in mind: how did she defeat Korda, who was the fan favorite to win?

“I didn’t look at the leaderboards until I was on, like, 17. I caught a glimpse of it. It was nice. I wasn’t as nervous… it felt like I have somewhat control of my game and I kind of know what’s going on.” Instead of getting caught up in who else was playing or what the leaderboard said, she trusted her game and stayed focused. Blocking out the noise and sticking to what she knows is what got her control over her game. “But it felt like I could just like control anything that was thrown at me really today.” Patience and calmness are the keys here, which seem to have worked for Stark here. But when big names like Charley Hull, defending champion Yuka Saso, and of course Nelly Korda are in the field, a bit of fear is natural.

When asked how her nerves were while playing, her overwhelmed respond was, “I think I had a couple of times where I got a little bit scared and I kind of forgot what I was doing.” She wasn’t immune to the pressure. On a course as demanding as Lancaster, knowing where the big mistakes can happen only adds to the nerves. The fact that she felt those moments and still kept her game together says a lot about her mental toughness. But still she stays grounded and told the press, “I just didn’t want to get ahead of myself. I thought there’s still a lot of golf left to be played.” She is proud for sure but she sees this victory just as the beginning of something great, which she knows she can achieve. 

She Gives the Credit of Her Victory to Her Coach

Maja Stark gave a big shout-out to Joe Hallet in the press conference. She said, “I’m so happy that I had my coach here this week. And I texted him a couple of things. I said, What do I do if my putting feels like this?” Having her coach, Joe Hallett, with her that week clearly made a big difference. When things started to feel off, especially with her putting, just being able to check in with someone who knows her game inside and out helped her big time. And Stark, being sweet, did not shy away from giving credit to Hallet. But what exactly was the secret advice that she got? 

“He said that on my short putts I tend to be if it’s for par, I tend to be a little bit too curious, like I just putt. I’m happy that I just got it to tap-in distance.” The coach knew her weakness: that she sometimes checked out on short par putts. At a course like Lancaster, where the greens are tricky and nothing inside five feet is a guarantee, tightening up that part of her game kept her from giving away easy strokes.

Let’s see if Stark can keep her name in the headlines, with the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship right around the corner. Can she ride this momentum and make her mark once again?