Maja Stark Holds Off Nelly Korda To Claim Maiden Major At US Women's Open

HELLO ALL

Good morning, afternoon and evening to you all, and welcome to Golf Monthly's final round coverage of the US Women's Open where, just now, Maja Stark has bogeyed the par 5 seventh to drop back to seven-under, just one shot clear.

In terms of her nearest challenger, that would be World No.1 Nelly Korda, who has just made back-to-back birdies at the seventh and eighth. The momentum is in her favor but, after an excellent shot at the par 3 ninth, she is unable to convert, remaining at six-under.

LOTTIE WOAD WINS LOW AMATEUR HONORS

Lottie Woad's incredible amateur career continues, with the Englishwoman claiming the low amateur honors and the gold medal.

The World No.1 amateur fired a five-over-par tournament total to claim victory by two shots from amateurs Farah O'Keefe and Carolina Lopez-Chacarra.

KORDA AND STARK MAKE PAR

At the par 4 eighth, Stark finds the center of the green with a wedge and, from 25-feet, her uphill putt finishes to the right of the hole. It's a tap-in par for the Swede, who remains one shot clear at seven-under-par.

Up at the 10th, Nelly Korda, who has hit every fairway today, puts an approach to 18-foot but, with the putt, it's always going left. It's a par for the World No.1, who remains six-under, one back of Stark.

GREAT SHOT AT THE NINTH

The ninth hole was a big-talking point at the 2017 US Open and, in the final group, Stark plays a great wedge shot to the right of the flag. She will have around 19-feet for birdie coming up.

In terms of Stark's playing partner, Julia Lopez Ramirez, the Spaniard has struggled today, making one birdie and four bogeys to be three-over-par for the round and three-under for the championship.

SHIBUNO BOGEYS THE 10TH

Hinako Shibuno was six-under-par, but a poor approach at the par 4 10th, followed by a poor bunker shot, means that Shibuno has a long putt for par coming up.

It's a good effort, but it misses on the right side. The Japanese player does make the bogey putt coming back, meaning she is five-under for the tournament and two shots back of Stark.

STARK LEADS BY ONE GOING INTO THE BACK NINE

Stark has a good chance to extend her lead at the par 3 ninth, but her effort misses on the left side. It's a tap-in par, though, which means she leads by a single shot going into the back nine of the US Women's Open.

FIRST MISSED FAIRWAY FOR KORDA

The World No.1 is yet to miss a fairway but, at the par 4 11th, Korda pulls her tee shot left and finds the first cut. It is a slightly harder approach from that angle, but Korda has been deadly with her irons today.

Back at the par 4 10th, Stark finds another fairway with her driver but her approach is right. It just hangs on to the green, but that is going to be a horrible, long putt coming up for the 25-year-old.

TROUBLE FOR SAIGO

Mao Saigo finds the thick rough off the tee at the par 4 11th and can only advance it 50 yards forward for her second shot. What's more, it's still in the thick rough and, with Saigo sitting five-under, she needs to, somehow, get up-and-down to remain at that score.

TWO PUTT FOR STARK

Excellent two-putt for Stark at the 10th. To begin with, she is facing a 65-footer that is downhill and playing with several feet of break.

It's a difficult two-putt but, with her first attempt, the ball finishes five-feet from the hole. From there, Stark's putt finds the center of the cup for an excellent par that keeps her one ahead.

STARK FINDS A DIVOT

Leader, Stark, pounds a drive down the center of the fairway at the par 4 11th but, unluckily, it finds a fairway divot and is sat well down.

In fairness to Stark, she gets on with it despite the bad break, with the LPGA Tour winner playing a great wedge shot to around 15-feet for birdie.

BIG MISS FOR TAKEDA

Takeda is building some momentum after her birdie at the 11th. Finding the fairway at the 12th, she then fires a great approach to seven-feet.

Sitting at five-under, a birdie would move her within one stroke but, as she strikes the putt, it dives left and doesn't even hit the hole. It's a par for the 22-year-old, who is two back of Stark.

HUGE MOMENT

Wow... that is a pivotal moment!

Playing the par 3 13th, Korda three putts for bogey from 40-foot to drop back to five-under-par. Following that missed putt, Stark then rolls in her birdie putt at the 11th just seconds later to get to eight-under.

That two shot swing means Stark has a healthy lead, but that could change ever so quickly at the US Women's Open...

BIG BIRDIE FOR STARK

NOBODY IS MAKING A MOVE

Stark leads by three and it seems nobody is making a charge behind her. Linn Grant, who is close friends with Stark, has a chance to get to five-under, but her short birdie putt misses the hole completely, with Grant remaining four back of her fellow countrywoman.

KORDA SETS UP AN EAGLE CHANCE

Just as I finish writing that statement, Korda fires in a stunning fairway wood at the par 5 14th that rests 15-feet from the flag!

Setting up a possible eagle, the American would move within one of Stark if she holed that.

BIRDIE FOR KORDA

This excellent shot set-up a chance of an eagle for Korda, but her putt dives to the right and never threatens the hole. It's a tap-in for the 26-year-old, who now moves within two of Stark, who finds the edge of the green at the par 3 13th.

NEAR CHIP IN FOR STARK

Stark is looking confident here and, at the par 3 13th, she very nearly chips in for a birdie!

From the edge of the green, the Swede clips the chip perfectly and, rolling from right-to-left, it grazes the edge of the hole and rolls by around a few feet.

BIRDIES FOR SHIBUNO AND TAKEDA

The Japanese pair are playing the par 5 14th and, after finding the edge of the left-side of the green, the pair manage to roll in two putts for birdies to move to six-under.

They are two back of Stark, who tapped-in for par at the 13th. Up ahead, Korda finds the fairway at the 15th and puts a wedge from 90-yards to 15-feet. She will have a good look at birdie coming up.

PAR FOR KORDA, EAGLE CHANCE FOR STARK

A par at the US Women's Open is always good, but Korda needs more than that to pressurize Stark, who finds the fairway at the par 5 14th.

Korda's birdie putt at the 15th just slides by the left-side and, after rolling in the par putt, she remains two back of Stark.

Speaking of the Solheim Cup star, her approach from 200-yards at the 14th is excellent! Hitting an iron, it feeds down to 11-feet, leaving her a great look at eagle. If she holes that, she'll be the first player to move to double digits!

GAME OVER?

Korda has another chance to get within one at the par 3 16th, but her birdie putt is short. In the penultimate group, Shibuno makes a costly double bogey at the 15th to drop back to four-under, while Takeda pars to remain at six-under.

BIRDIE FOR STARK

Stark has a great chance to cement her position at the top of the leaderboard. Faced with 11-feet for eagle, her putt is online but short, with the 25-year-old tapping-in for a deserved birdie.

Sitting nine-under, Stark is three clear of Korda and Takeda, with the latter hitting a very good shot at the par 3 16th, leaving a great look at biride.

SUPERB FROM THE LEADER

Stark goes long with her second shot at the par 4 15th but, from distance, the leader shows off her class putting once again, with a delicate 50-footer coming to rest just four-foot away from the flag.

JUST SHORT FROM TAKEDA

The Japanese star faces a mid-range par putt at the 17th and, with it tracking online, it comes up just short. That drops Takeda back into solo third, four shots back of Stark, who has just parred the par 3 16th convincingly.

LEFT OFF THE TEE FROM STARK

The 17th has been the hardest hole of the day at Erin Hills, yielding just five birdies. It's a tough tee shot and, like some of her previous drives today, Stark pulls it left and into the first cut.

It's unlikely she will be able to go for the green and, with a three shot lead, I believe the Swede will likely play conservatively from here.

STARK GOUGES IT OUT

The lie isn't great and, after a lengthy discussion with her caddie, Stark opts to hit a gap wedge down the fairway, leaving herself around 75-yards into the flag.

Ahead, Korda is short-and-left of the green at the 18th and, needing to come up a huge slope, the American doesn't hit it hard enough, with the ball rolling back to her feet. After that shot, the World No.1 does eventually get it back on the green, albeit well away from the flag.

BOGEY FOR STARK

The wedge shot from Stark into the 17th is good, but from 20-foot, the Swede is unable to save par, with a bogey not a bad result after that tee shot.

Thankfully, for Stark, Korda has made bogey at the 18th to drop back to five-under, giving Stark a three shot lead going down the 72nd hole.

ANOTHER LEFT MISS FOR STARK

That's the second left miss in a row for Stark, who pulls her drive into the second cut. The upside is that she has a three shot advantage and, with the lie sitting down, means she will be forced in to laying up.

TAKEDA FACING BIRDIE PUTT

Takeda needs to put the pressure on Stark and, from the edge of the green, she puts her third to 15-feet. She has a chance to make birdie, which would put her two shots behind the leader.

PERFECT FROM STARK

Despite finding some thick rough, Stark's lie is perfect and she is able to advance the ball around 140-yards down the fairway.

For her upcoming third, she will have around 135-yards to the flag. It's worth noting that this 18th green has been tough, so expect her to hit it into the middle and take the two putt.

NELLY KORDA REACTS

"It's still very complicated. Just an absolute heartbreaker, but it's fine. I mean, that's golf. You lose more than you win, but you learn a lot."

THIS ISN'T OVER

Pressure can cause mistakes and, from the fairway, Stark catches her third shot slightly fat with it ending up short of the green.

This will test her short game but, as mentioned, that three shot cushion will help; however, this isn't over yet, especially with a difficult chip coming up.

MORE DRAMA

Lopez Ramirez finds the bunker at the 18th and, with her third, she thins it over the back of the green and into the scorer's tent!

Stark will have to wait a little longer to play her shot, especially as rules officials will be involved to determine where Ramirez takes her drop behind the green.

MORE WAITING FOR STARK

Ramirez has a near impossible chip from behind the green and, as expected, it rolls off and down the slope where Korda was 30 minutes ago.

It's a tough watch, especially as Ramirez's first chip doesn't make it up the slope and rolls back down to her feet. Eventually, for her sixth shot, the Spaniard makes it on the green, allowing Stark to play up.

MAJA STARK WINS THE US WOMEN'S OPEN

SHE'S DONE IT

Putting on to the green, Stark then rolls her par attempt down the hill to inches, securing a first Major title by two strokes. Superb play from the 25-year-old, who joins Annika Sorenstam and Liselotte Neumann as Swedish winners of this championship

CHAMPAGNE SHOWER