ISPS HANDA WORLD INVITATIONAL

August 14, 2022

Maja Stark

Galgorm Castle & Massereene Golf Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Maja, congratulations, a course record 63, 20-under for the tournament. Can you just describe how this victory feels?

MAJA STARK: I don't think it's landed yet. I'm just feeling so nervous. I think all day, just kind of reminding myself to be calm and just take it one shot at a time. But it's been easier said than done.

Q. You started the day two shots back. You ended up having a dominant performance and now you're here on top. There was no signs of nerves whatsoever. You talked about playing three holes at a time. How beneficial was that, and how important was it for you to stay focused in the moment?

MAJA STARK: I think that was a big key because it would just be so easy so just think, oh, I'm whatever under par, and then you kind of crumble after that because you get too nervous, but I was like, just three more holes, three more holes, and yeah.

Q. This is a tri-sanctioned event. This also means you become a first-time winner on the LPGA Tour. This also gives you an opportunity to accept membership. What does that mean to you?

MAJA STARK: It means the world. That was all I came here for. Like I just wanted that winner's category. I was so nervous. I hate qualifying. It's great that I don't have to do that again.

Q. Let's talk about the 18th hole. Were you taking that flag on the left on? You obviously missed it left in the water and the up-and-down was amazing.

MAJA STARK: Yeah, no, I was not aiming there. I was aiming as far right on the green as you possibly could, but then I don't even know what happened to be honest. I flushed it 30 meters left. That's a shame, but it's fine.

Q. When you were younger you said, I am Tiger Woods. Do you think that will change now to I am Maja Stark?

MAJA STARK: Yeah, I think it will. I mean, after last week, my coach just said, don't try to be Tiger Woods, try to be you. I hope that I did that.

Q. How are you feeling after that? It was a super performance today. You really came in all guns blazing, and it was 20-under par in the end.

MAJA STARK: Yeah, I'm just relieved. I think, yeah, it hasn't settled yet. Yeah, just super, super happy. Finally I can play on the LPGA and that's where I want to be.

Q. Your first ever win on the LPGA; is that a dream come true?

MAJA STARK: Yeah, for sure. I did not expect this at all. If you told me a year ago that I would have a win on the LPGA, I would not have believed it.

Q. It's only a year ago that you actually turned professional?

MAJA STARK: Yeah, so almost my one-year anniversary.

Q. Nice way to celebrate. What will this mean to your family, friends, all your supporters back home, as well?

MAJA STARK: Well, I think they'll be super happy for me. I think my parents will get a lot of questions now, even more than they already get, but I think they'll just be so happy for me because it's such a team effort.

Q. How did you find the course out there? You had 10 birdies today. Pretty impressive.

MAJA STARK: Yeah, the course is pretty easy -- no, kidding. It is tough. A lot of tricky little shots, especially the tee shots. But I think I managed to just stay calm and not get greedy. With the wind switching today, we had some tough choices that we didn't have the other day. It was interesting.

Q. There's a lot of fantastic players out there, the likes of Leona Maguire, Georgia Hall, and you came out on top. That must be amazing.

MAJA STARK: Yeah, I can't believe it. It's fun to beat some people I've looked up to for so long.

Q. Would they be people that you've looked up to?

MAJA STARK: Oh, yeah. I've played with Georgia at the Scottish, and I've looked up to her for longer than that, but she played so well and struck the ball so well, so I was just impressed by her, so impressed.

Q. Will you celebrate this evening?

MAJA STARK: Yes.

Q. Will you stay in Ireland for how much longer?

MAJA STARK: I'll leave tomorrow midday.

Q. What does it mean to be holding this trophy here for winning the World Invitational?

MAJA STARK: It means a lot. Just any win is special, but I think this one means just that much more because of the co-sanctioned thing and getting more attention, playing with the guys, and everything that comes with that.

Q. And you're now an LPGA Tour player, invited to play there, which I assume you'll be taking up.

MAJA STARK: Yeah, we'll see what happens. I think so.

Q. Just how big a career-changing moment do you think this win here at Galgorm will be?

MAJA STARK: This changes everything. I was going to go to Q-School, and that's just impossible because Q-School would be the week after our final, the tour final, and now I don't have to worry about their anymore, getting over to the U.S. super quick.

So, yes, it's just huge. I finally get to play where I want to be.

Q. How much have you enjoyed playing here, not just alongside the men, but in front of the very knowledgeable crowds in Northern Ireland?

MAJA STARK: I really liked it. I love playing in front of people that know when a shot is good and when a shot is bad. I really enjoy the honesty we get. Someone shouted on my last approach shot here, Maja, play safe. No, I'm not going to do that.

Yeah, I really enjoyed it. I love playing on the British Isles.

Q. What a way to win this tournament with a course record.

MAJA STARK: Yeah, never even been close to being minus-10, so I'm going to have to analyze this round for a bit and see what I did right. I need to remember this.

Q. There are ways to finish out a tournament. Go 10-under to set a course record to win a title is a pretty good way to finish. How did you feel out there while you were playing that round?

MAJA STARK: I was very nervous and there were so many fans that just had to be my own coach and just talk myself down and -- talk myself down, what am I saying?

Just I have to coach myself and say, like I really want to win this, but no matter what, I'm really proud of myself for getting this far anyway.

Q. Did you think a round like that was possible before you started? Did you feel good on the range? Was that even a surprise to you?

MAJA STARK: I barely remember what I felt like. I know it didn't feel great on the putting green, but that figured itself out when I was out there.

But I don't think it was that good on the range. I think it was a bit wide. And I did hit -- well, not that many wide shots, but a couple that didn't go where I wanted to.

So, yeah. I don't know. I didn't have any expectation I guess.

Q. Were you looking at the leaderboards? Did you know the situation that you were in as you were going to the back nine, the lead that you had?

MAJA STARK: I tried to not watch the leaderboards. I usually do, but now I just thought, well, that's not going to help me, so I tried to not look at them.

Then I think I caught a glimpse of one on 13 and I was like oh, I'm leading. But it was still pretty tight at the top, and then I tried to not look at it.

Then I walked up on 17 green and I saw that I was leading by five and then I thought, whoa, this is nice.

Q. Is that the best round you shot to par?

MAJA STARK: Yeah, I've only shot 7-under a couple times.

Q. So you've beaten it by three.

MAJA STARK: Yes.

Q. So this must feel pretty special then, even just the round on its own without even the win.

MAJA STARK: Oh, yeah. I think I'm going to have to analyze this a few times to know what I did, because I'm going to want to remember this.

Q. Frame the scorecard of hang it up somewhere.

MAJA STARK: Yep, probably. I still have the little tag that you rip off from the scorecard. I'm going to keep that. (Laughter.)

Q. Massive win for you. Moving on to the LPGA Tour. You've said so many times in interviews that it's a dream come true. What does this mean to you? Like how long have you had this dream of playing on the LPGA Tour at the top level of women's golf?

MAJA STARK: I've been dreaming about it for a long time. It's just been so frustrating when you feel like maybe you could play there, but it feels like the road is so long and you have to go through the Q-School and that's -- I mean, if you have a bad week you're out, and then you got to wait another year.

So it's really nice to just skip that part and just go ahead to, yeah, the fun stuff.

Q. The season you've had, did you think this was possible before the season began? Is this an exceptional season for you? Did you feel like you were capable of having a season like this?

MAJA STARK: I try to be prepare for everything, and one of my goals were to win a major. This isn't a major, but it feels pretty major.

But no, I don't know what I was expecting. I just knew that I played well last year, and maybe just try to get a bit better every year.

Q. You'll be coming back next year to defend your title here at Galgorm?

MAJA STARK: Yes, absolutely.

Q. And just how special is it winning a tournament like this? You have the men, women competing for the same prize money. Just what does this mean to you?

MAJA STARK: It means a lot that we're just -- they show us and we get more attention, because feels like we're very, I don't know, under-appreciated, and now you see like, yeah, our games are a bit different. They hit it further and maybe a bit wider, but I've heard some people say that our accuracy is just very impressive.

It's really fun that we get to show off on the same platforms, too.

Q. For you to post the round you did to prove that must mean a lot as well.

MAJA STARK: Yeah. I haven't even processed it. I just went out and played a round of golf and now I'm here. Yes, great timing.

Q. I imagine you probably haven't processed this either, but do you know what the schedule looks look moving forward now? Going to have to go back and do a lot of changing to the schedule I imagine.

MAJA STARK: Yes. I will. (Laughter.)

Q. Obviously like Swedish golf is going so well at the moment. You got yourself. You've Linn won over in Scandinavia as well. What does it mean you have to all you guys doing so well all at the same time?

MAJA STARK: It's so much fun. I think I it motivates us when you see the other person winning. You think, I could win that because I beat that person that time and stuff like that.

So, yeah, it motivates and gives confidence, too.

Q. Friendly rivalry between all of you?

MAJA STARK: I think so, yeah. Okay, we're not friends.

Q. It's just a rivalry then.

MAJA STARK: I just hang out with her because I want to know her secrets. (Laughter.)

Q. That's brilliant. Thank you so much. That was such a fantastic round.

MAJA STARK: Thank you.

Q. So fun to watch.