2025 U.S. Women's Open: Maja Stark hangs on to claim first major championship title at Erin Hills

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Nobody was catching Maja Stark on Sunday afternoon at Erin Hills.

Stark held on to her 54-hole lead and rolled to the U.S. Women’s Open title in Wisconsin. She posted a final-round 72 to grab a two-shot win and close out what is now her first career major title and just her second LPGA Tour win.

The victory also earned Stark a massive $2.4 million check, which was part of a record $12 million purse this week offered by the USGA. Stark's earnings so far this season on the LPGA Tour were less than $131,000.

Stark shot a 2-under 70 on Saturday to give herself a one-shot advantage over the field. While she didn’t do anything too spectacular on Sunday, Stark never let up. She opened with five straight pars and made the turn at even. She then birdied the 11th with a deep putt, which suddenly pushed her lead to three at the time.

Stark held onto that lead the rest of the way, and made one final birdie and bogey to wrap up her 1-under round, as top-ranked Nelly Korda tried to make one last push up ahead of her.

Korda, who started the day three shots back, had a look at a rare albatross on the par-5 14th when she rolled her approach shot off the back hill behind the green right past the cup. Korda missed the eagle putt that she left herself, though, and had to settle with a birdie.

While she wasn’t out of it at that point, Korda’s comeback attempt fell flat. She made three straight pars and then bogeyed the final hole to close out her 71 and finish in a tie for second at 5-under on the week. She was met there by Rio Takeda. Hyejin Choi, Ruoning Yin, Mao Saigo and Hinako Shibuno all tied for fourth at 4-under. Julia Lopez Ramirez, who played her way into the final group, shot a 7-over on Sunday to drop to T19.

Stark, despite back-to-back bogeys to end her day, didn't have any issue closing out her two-shot win. She tapped-in for her final bogey on the last green, which then set off a massive champagne celebration before she received the Harton S. Semple Trophy.

Stark grabbed her inaugural win on the LPGA Tour in 2022 at the Handa World Invitational, which she won as a non-member. She entered this week with just a single top-10 finish in eight starts on Tour, though she has six wins on the Ladies European Tour. Stark entered the week at No. 33 in the Rolex Rankings. 

Now, after surviving a battle at Erin Hills, Stark has finally broken through and claimed her first major. 

This post will be updated with more information shortly.