Maja Stark

Maja Stark Bio

Maja Sofia Stark, born 10 December 1999, is a Swedish professional golfer known for her steady ball striking and composure under pressure. She won her first major title at the 2025 U.S. Women’s Open and has built a résumé that includes six Ladies European Tour victories and full membership on the LPGA Tour. A former standout at Oklahoma State University, Stark has represented Sweden across amateur and professional team competitions since her teenage years.

Standing 5 ft 9 in (175 cm) tall, Stark turned professional in August 2021 after a decorated amateur career. She splits her time between her hometown area of Abbekås, Sweden, and the global circuit of women’s professional golf.

Early Life and Background

Maja Sofia Stark was born on 10 December 1999 in Skurup, a small town in Skåne County in southern Sweden. She grew up in the nearby coastal community of Abbekås, where she first picked up the game of golf through local clubs and youth programs. The region’s mild climate and strong club culture gave her year-round opportunities to play and improve.

She joined the Swedish National Team in 2016 and quickly moved into international junior events. Stark represented Sweden at the European Girls’ Team Championship, earning a silver medal in 2016 and a gold medal in 2017. She was also a member of the 2017 European Junior Solheim Cup team, giving her an early introduction to match-play formats against top international players.

Stark later enrolled at Oklahoma State University in the United States for the 2019–20 college season. As a freshman, she won the Hurricane Invitational in only her second collegiate start and finished the year ranked No. 4 by GolfStat, posting a 49–2 record in head-to-head play against top-100 players in the country.

Path to Professional Golf

Stark’s amateur résumé positioned her among the top young players in the world. She rose to No. 6 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking in July 2020 and received an exemption into the 2020 U.S. Women’s Open, where she finished tied for 13th in her major-championship debut. At the 2021 U.S. Women’s Open, she was tied for ninth after the third round before closing with a 74 to finish tied for 16th, results that showed she could compete against the world’s best.

Her international team experience grew with the Swedish squads that won the European Ladies’ Team Championship in 2018, 2019 and 2020, playing alongside future stars such as Linn Grant and Ingrid Lindblad. In 2020–21, she was named Big 12 Conference Player of the Year and the Big 12’s lone WGCA First Team All-American.

After winning the 2020 Arnold Palmer Cup at Bay Hill Club and Lodge with the International team, Stark decided to leave Oklahoma State and turn professional in August 2021. Her goal was to earn LPGA Tour status through qualifying while competing on the Ladies European Tour and Swedish Golf Tour.

Maja Stark Career

Early Career (2021)

Stark opened her professional career on the LET Access Series, winning the PGA Championship by Trelleborgs Kommun in her second career start. In early September 2021, she claimed her first Ladies European Tour title at the Creekhouse Ladies Open, finishing four shots ahead of compatriot Linn Grant to secure LET membership.

Less than a month later, she added the Estrella Damm Ladies Open, making it two LET titles in her first three professional starts. The quick start confirmed the form she had shown as an amateur and established her as one of the most promising rookies on the LET.

Ladies European Tour Breakthrough (2022)

Stark began 2022 with a runner-up finish at the Trust Golf Asian Mixed Stableford Challenge in Thailand, where she was the low woman across both tours. She followed that with another runner-up at the Australian Ladies Classic before winning the Women’s NSW Open by five strokes over Johanna Gustavsson.

In July 2022, she won the Amundi German Masters by one stroke over Leonie Harm and Jessica Karlsson, retaking the top spot on the LET Order of Merit. Her biggest moment came in August, when she won the ISPS Handa World Invitational in Northern Ireland by five strokes, earning LPGA Tour membership.

LPGA Tour Era (2023–Present)

Stark made her LPGA debut as a full member at the Portland Classic in 2022, finishing inside the top ten. In January 2023, she opened her first full LPGA season with a runner-up finish at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions, and in February she captured her sixth LET title at the Lalla Meryem Cup.

Later that year, Stark represented Europe at the 2023 Solheim Cup, going 2–1–1 and earning a crucial Sunday singles win over U.S. Open champion Allisen Corpuz. In April 2024, she finished solo second to Nelly Korda at the Chevron Championship, then her best major finish.

Her career reached a new peak in 2025 when she won the U.S. Women’s Open at Erin Hills in Wisconsin by two strokes, becoming the first Swedish winner of that major since Annika Sörenstam in 2006. The victory added to her tally of nine professional wins across the LPGA Tour, LET, and partner tours.

Driving Style and Strengths

Stark is known for her accurate iron play and a calm, measured temperament that suits major-championship golf. Her college career at Oklahoma State sharpened a course-management approach built on fairways hit and greens in regulation, and she has shown a willingness to play aggressively on reachable par-fives.

Notable Events and Milestones

Her 2025 U.S. Women’s Open victory is the centerpiece of her résumé, but she also points to the 2020 Arnold Palmer Cup, her 2023 Solheim Cup singles win, and the 2022 ISPS Handa World Invitational as defining moments that shaped her ascent.

Maja Stark Career Wins

Maja Stark has compiled nine professional wins across multiple tours, with two LPGA Tour titles, six Ladies European Tour titles, one WPGA Tour of Australasia title, and one other professional victory to her credit.

Ladies European Tour Highlights

Her first LET win came at the 2021 Creekhouse Ladies Open, where a four-shot margin over Linn Grant announced her arrival. The most recent LET title came at the 2023 Lalla Meryem Cup, and along the way she added the Estrella Damm Ladies Open, the Women’s NSW Open, and the Amundi German Masters.

Other Wins & Performances

Stark also won the 2021 PGA Championship by Trelleborgs Kommun on the LET Access Series and co-sanctioned the WPGA Tour of Australasia title at the 2022 Women’s NSW Open. Her 2025 U.S. Women’s Open sits alongside these victories as her first major championship.

Maja Stark Family

Family Background and Racing Lineage

Stark grew up in a golf-oriented community in Skurup and Abbekås, where she had early access to courses and coaching. Specific details about her parents and siblings have not been publicly confirmed.

Personal Life

Stark continues to make her home in Abbekås, Sweden, when not traveling on tour. She is unmarried and has no publicly confirmed spouse or children.

2025 Season Performance

The 2025 season has been the most significant of Stark’s career, headlined by her two-stroke victory at the U.S. Women’s Open at Erin Hills. That win marked her first major championship and her first LPGA Tour victory of the year, placing her among the season’s headline players.

Earlier in the season she had registered a tied-47th finish at the Women’s PGA Championship, and she continued to add solid results across both the LPGA Tour and the Ladies European Tour. She was also recognized as the Swedish Golfer of the Year in 2025, a reflection of her major breakthrough.

With LPGA Tour membership secured and momentum from a major title, Stark entered the late part of the 2025 schedule as one of the most consistent Swedish players on tour. Her Solheim Cup eligibility and her place inside the world’s top rankings positioned her for another strong run through the season’s finals.