Sweden’s Maja Stark played with poise and precision to claim her maiden Major title at the 80th U.S. Women’s Open presented by Ally on Sunday, fending off World No. 1 Nelly Korda of the United States at Erin Hills.
Taking a one-shot lead over Spanish qualifier Julia Lopez Ramirez into the final round, Stark signed off with a solid even-par 72 for a seven-under-par 281 (70, 69, 70, 72) total on a typically challenging USGA course set-up. The 25-year-old finished two shots clear of Korda (71) and Takeda (72), while Ramirez fell back into tied 19th position following a closing 79.
Stark went into the record books as the third Swede to win the championship and hoist the Harton S. Semple Trophy, joining legendary compatriots Liselotte Neumann (1988) and Annika Sorenstam (1995, 1996, 2006). Both Neumann and Sorenstam messaged Stark with words of encouragement following the third round.
“They texted me yesterday and just kind of said, bring it home. It was already cool to just get those texts. Just looking at all the names on the trophy, I love the U.S. Opens. I'm so happy that it's mine now,” said Stark.
Taking a page from Sorenstam’s 10-Major book, Stark offset three bogeys with three birdies in a composed final round performance. While both Korda and Japan’s Mao Saigo got to within one shot of Stark at different stages of the final round, the Swede kept calm and was able to pull away on the final stretch.
Saigo, winner of The Chevron Championship earlier this year, carded a closing 73 to share fourth place on four-under-par 284 with Korean Hye-Jin Choi (68) and China’s Ruoning Yin (70).
“I didn't look at the leaderboard until I was on 17 when I caught a glimpse of it. I wasn't as nervous as I thought I would be, because it felt like I have control of my game and I know what's going on. It felt like I could just control anything that was thrown at me today,” noted Stark.
The victory was Stark’s second success on the LPGA Tour following the 2022 ISPS HANDA World Invitational presented by AVIA Clinics in Northern Ireland, which she won as a non-LPGA member. The event was co-sanctioned with the Ladies European Tour, where Stark has won six times to-date.
Korda’s joint runner-up finish was her best in 11 U.S. Women’s Open starts, dating back to 2013 when she competed as a 14-year-old amateur. She missed the cut at Lancaster Country Club last year.
“Last year definitely put a dagger into my heart. But that's just golf. You're going to lose more than you win a majority of the time. I feel like I learn a lot about myself and my game, and where I need to improve, playing the U.S. Women's Open, because it does test every part of your game,” said Korda, who counts two Major titles among her 15 LPGA Tour victories.
Malaysia’s Kelly Tan missed the halfway cut of one-over-par following rounds of 75 and 78. Now competing on the Epson Tour as she bids to regain her LPGA card, the 31-year-old got into the championship by winning the 36-hole qualifier at Vancouver Golf Club.
Defending champion Yuka Saso of Japan (74, 72) and Thai star Jeeno Thitikul (75, 72) were among the notable players who failed to progress to the weekend.
Japanese rookie Chisato Iwai became the fifth Rolex First-Time Winner on the 2025 LPGA Tour with a six-shot victory at the inaugural MEXICO Riviera Maya Open at Mayakoba.
Heading into the final round at El Camaleón Golf Course at Mayakoba one shot behind 54-hole leader Jenny Bae of the United States, Iwai quickly turned what could have been an exciting finish into a Sunday romp.
The 22-year-old Japanese player seized the lead with a first-hole birdie as Bae made bogey. Four birdies in a row from Holes 3 to 6 saw Iwai surge further ahead, and she never looked back.
Iwai’s closing six-under-par 66 gave her a 72-hole aggregate of 12-under-par 276 (68-74-68-66), while Bae hung on for second place on six-under-par 282 (69-69-71-73) following a final round 73. Korean Haeji Kang was third on five-under-par 283, one shot clear of compatriots Jenny Shin, Somi Lee and Hye-Jin Choi, China's Weiwei Zhang, and Sweden’s Linn Grant.
“I just focused on my routine and stayed calm. No matter how many birdies I made today and how far ahead I was, my mindset didn't change. I just kept thinking of trying to make the next birdie and trying to stay positive,” said Iwai, who is the third rookie to win on the LPGA Tour this season.
This is the first time in 10 years that the LPGA Tour has seen three rookie victories before the end of May. Iwai is the 12th different winner on tour this season, pocketing US$375,000 for her efforts.
An eight-time winner on the Japan LPGA Tour, Iwai finished second at last year’s LPGA Final Qualifying to earn her LPGA Tour membership for the 2025 season. Her twin sister Akie is also a rookie on the LPGA Tour and finished tied 16th in Mexico on two-under-par.
Malaysia's Ashley Lau, who got into the field through her Epson Tour status, finished tied 32nd on one-over-par 289 (71-73-71-74).
The LPGA Tour heads back to the United States for the second Major of the 2025 season, the U.S. Women's Open presented by Ally at Erin Hills in Wisconsin.
Thai star Jeeno Thitikul claimed her first win of the year and fifth career LPGA title at the Mizuho Americas Open, showing great poise to triumph by four shots at Liberty National Golf Club on Sunday.
Following rounds of 64, 73 and 65, Thitikul led by one shot from France’s Celine Boutier heading into the last day. World number one and defending champion Nelly Korda and her fellow American Andrea Lee were a shot further back.
The final round saw Thitikul paired with Boutier in a repeat of their epic battle at the 2023 Maybank Championship, when the latter won a nine-hole playoff. The Thai player opened with a birdie and proved unflappable for the rest of the round, carding a bogey-free 69 for a 17-under-par 271 total.
Boutier claimed sole runner-up honours on 13-under-par after a final round 72, which included a costly three-putt bogey from 10 feet at the par-four 15th hole. Despite an awkward stance, Thitikul made a glorious par save from a greenside bunker to extend her lead to three shots. The Thai player nailed her third and final birdie of the day at the 17th hole, draining an 18-foot putt to pull further away.
Two late bogeys put paid to Korda’s title defence as a closing 73 saw her settle for tied fifth place on 11-under-par with compatriot Yealimi Noh (72) and Australian Stephanie Kyriacou (67). Meanwhile, Lee signed off with a 72 to share third place on 12-under-par with Spain's Carlota Ciganda (70).
Thitikul has now registered 13 top-10 finishes in her last 15 official starts on the LPGA Tour, dating back to last August and including a second runner-up finish at the Maybank Championship.
“When I was a kid wanting to play on the LPGA Tour, my dad just told me, winning on the LPGA Tour once is good enough. I had no idea I'm going to get this far for sure. I'm just trying to do my part. I'm just trying to improve myself every day,” said Thitikul.
“I know that a lot of putts didn't drop on the front nine today. I was just trying to tell myself, ‘be patient, it’s coming, it's coming.' That's pretty much what I told myself today,” added the 22-year-old.
The tournament was hosted by former LPGA star Michelle Wie West and pairs American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) players with the professionals. Playing with Korda and Lee, New Jersey native Aphrodite Deng won the junior title with a modified Stableford total of 140 points.
Following a one-week break, the LPGA Tour heads south for the inaugural MEXICO Riviera Maya Open at Mayakoba in Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo.
The Maybank Championship ASEAN Qualifier is set to return on 12 and 13 August 2025 at Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club’s West Course, once again providing Southeast Asia’s rising golf talents a pathway to the global stage.
The 2024 edition saw Malaysia’s Liyana Durisic and Nur Durriyah Damian rise to the occasion, earning their spots in last year's Maybank Championship alongside three other regional standouts.
This 36-hole event offers five coveted spots in the 2025 Maybank Championship, one of the region’s premier Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) events, where the world’s best will compete in October. The tournament will feature a limited field of 78 players.
Open to top female professionals and amateurs from ASEAN nations, applications and registrations for the qualifying event are now open. For more details on the Maybank Championship 2025 ASEAN Qualifier, visit here.
Amateur Anson Yeo held his nerve to clinch a dramatic playoff victory at the RM180,000 PGM Tun Ahmad Sarji Trophy, after finishing tied at nine-under-par 207 alongside Nathan Wong on Thursday.
Yeo, who opened the final round with a double bogey on the first hole, showed impressive composure throughout the day to stay in contention.
"I was really nervous after that start, but I kept my cool and focused on every shot. Nathan was playing really solid, and Shahriffuddin was attacking every hole. The competition was intense, but I’m glad it ended well for me," said the 21-year-old.
The playoff at Saujana’s 18th hole saw Wong gain the early edge with a strong drive and approach to 20 feet. But after his birdie putt fell two feet short, Anson Yeo chipped in from off the green to snatch a stunning victory.
Shahriffuddin Ariffin emerged as the best finishing professional in the field on eight-under-par 208 and falling one shot short of entering the sudden-death playoff. In fourth position was Marcus Lim on seven-under-par 209, and rounding up the top five was Nor Heikal Hadi with a three-under-par 213 finish.
In the Ladies Championship, Saujana GCC’s own Bang Hee Yeon claimed the title and a total cheque of RM30,000 with a nine-under-par finish. Liyana Durisic and Winnie Ng settled for a share of second on one-over-par 217.
