AMAZINGCRE PORTLAND CLASSIC

September 14, 2022

Maja Stark

Columbia Edgewater Country Club

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: All right, I'm here with Maja Stark; playing in your first event as a member.

Maja, first question is just overall your thoughts and expectations going into this week as your first time as a member on the LPGA Tour.

MAJA STARK: I'm very excited. Hasn't been that much new stuff, so I feel like, yeah, should be good.

I'm just excited about tomorrow. I really like the place. I really like the course.

So, yeah, just feels like a normal tournament but a little bit better.

THE MODERATOR: Feels normal, very familiar, no quarrels with that. But do you have any different expectations for yourself now that you're a part of the LPGA or are things as normal?

MAJA STARK: No, I think it's as normal. I'm ready for anything I guess. I think I'll be okay if I play really bad, but also ready for it going very well.

Yeah, don't really have any expectations. I'll just see what happens. Obviously I want to win. I aim for the win every time.

THE MODERATOR: Yeah, of course. Technically you're a rookie now and you have a rookie win, which puts you above some of the other rookies. How does that make you feel having already achieved a win on the LPGA Tour and being a member?

MAJA STARK: It feels very cool. It took a while to really settle. Yeah, I didn't even think about it, like get the nice emotions until like one and a half weeks after the win.

So, yeah, I don't know. I just feel like it's very fun that I got that opportunity, and now I got to a new level because of that.

THE MODERATOR: I remember listening to you after your win in Ireland. Just tell me, looking back at that, I know you said your dream had always been on the LPGA; is that the way you expected it to happen?

MAJA STARK: Yeah, so I've always wanted to like go pro and play on the best tour. Didn't really matter what sport. But then, yeah, just did golf and I figured, if I'm going to play golf, I want to be at the highest level, compete against the best in the world.

Yeah, I just always figured that I was going to have to qualify for it and stuff like that. I was talking to my friend Linn Grant and we said, we have four LPGAs in Europe. You win one, I win one. It was obviously, yeah, as if we're going to really win it.

But, yeah, no, it was way quicker journey than I expected for sure.

THE MODERATOR: That's awesome. Why golf though? You said any sport would've done. What was it about golf?

MAJA STARK: Pretty much only had that left. I quit soccer and then I quit table tennis and only had golf left.

I just thought, yeah, let's go for it. Everyone else around me were also turning pro and doing the whole thing, so it didn't feel weird.

Just felt like that's what people do.

THE MODERATOR: So as I mentioned, this is your first professional event as a member. What are you looking forward to most about this event in general, AmazingCre Portland Classic? Anything catch your eye while you're out on the course or anything you're particularly excited for?

MAJA STARK: I really like the course. It feels very cozy with like the tall trees. Yeah, I mean, I don't really have much to compare it to, but I just like the conditions are so good, the fairway is perfect, rough of perfect, greens are perfect. Yeah, it just nice to see another level of professional golf.

THE MODERATOR: Awesome. Georgia Hall said it sort of reminded her of English courses. Is that how you find it?

MAJA STARK: We mostly just play links when we're over there for the big championships. I guess -- no. No. (Laughter.)

THE MODERATOR: All right, cool. And have you gotten out and seen Portland? Have you been here before?

MAJA STARK: I've never been here. I went to the Nike headquarters in Beaverton yesterday. That was very cool.

But I live with my host family. They live just a little bit south of here, so I haven't really seen Portland that much. I just drive through it every day. Looks pretty cool from the highway.

THE MODERATOR: Yeah, well, I hope you enjoy yourself. Looking forward to your group tomorrow, and what is the game plan going into this tournament?

MAJA STARK: Just don't make a fool of myself.

THE MODERATOR: Doubt you will.

MAJA STARK: Feel like if I'm in the trees I feel like -- my host told me yesterday that they used to have a player that said, if you're ever in the woods, remember the player that got you there. So like don't try to hit the amazing shot, because you hit it into the woods so you can mess up.

I think just staying level headed and not getting too stressed if it doesn't start the way I want to or if it does start really well and then I think oh, my goodness, I'm blah, blah, blah under par; I could win this. Because then it usually just goes downhill after that.

THE MODERATOR: Last question from me: As a rookie already, you accepted immediate membership, so that means you're a rookie just to the rest of the season, which is a shorter time than anyone gets to be a rookie really.

How do you make the most of your rookie season knowing that you only have so many events?

MAJA STARK: I will stick to a pretty calm schedule. But I will do these four in a row until LA, and then I'll skip the Asian ones.

So I think just not going to try to stress through it and try to win the rookie award and have that as a goal. Doesn't really feel that realistic, and I think it'll just stress me out. I think just try to play well at the tournaments and not really think about the awards that can come.

Because like I could keep going on the LET and try to go for the automatic win, but I feel like I'm here to play the big tournaments and not to win the big awards. Because, yeah, that's kind of what golf is all about, winning tournaments.

THE MODERATOR: Awesome. We wish you luck in your first start.

MAJA STARK: Thank you.