HILTON GRAND VACATIONS TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS

January 18, 2024

Maja Stark

Lake Nona Golf & Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Joined by Maja Stark after her first round at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions. Just take us through your round today.

MAJA STARK: It was pretty steady overall other than my driving. Apparently I came back from the off-season with a quick hook in my bag, so that's not great. But, yeah, it's been pretty solid other than that.

I really feel like I can see the benefits or like I can see the results from my off-season work, so that's been really nice, with the irons and stuff.

Yeah, it was really fun to play with amateurs, too.

Q. You joked with me, forgot how long it takes to play golf. Now that you got the first round out of the way, what's the mindset?

MAJA STARK: I'm just going to try to keep doing what I have been doing. Just stay in the now. I didn't look at the scoreboards that much, but when I saw my name getting up there I did feel like I maybe got a little bit result-focused, which I've been trying not to do. That's what messed me up last year.

So, yeah, tried to stay in the moment and just maybe focus a little bit more on technique, especially with the driver, since it went awful today.

Q. You've had a lot of success on this course. What is it that it seems to bring out some of the best of your game?

MAJA STARK: I love the grass here. I really like the tight lies that you can get. The rough isn't too nasty. Then, I don't know, I feel like maybe just the greens, something suits here.

The ball does what it expect it to do.

Q. Looked like on your Instagram you were working on some swing things at home in Sweden. What were you looking to fine tune over the off-season?

MAJA STARK: Gosh, everything. I've been working on everything from start to finish. I kind of roll my wrists a little bit so my club ends up behind me and then I get steep from that, and then when I get steep on the downswing and I lift my foot up and don't rotate. Just been everything. Total mess kind of.

But I'm happy that I can really see the results from it because I have been working pretty hard on it.

Q. Didn't appear to be a mess last year. Are you a player that likes to tinker like that, or do you let things get to a point and then you have to fix stuff?

MAJA STARK: I used to be like that, and then I figure the last year when I look at it, I started off really well and then it kind of just fizzled out and ended my year way worse.

So I'm going to keep it up just with all the technique stuff even though it might not be the most fun thing or the thing that gives me the most confidence during the weeks. Because if you think about technique stuff, for me at least, I always think about it on the course. That's not the most comfortable thought.

But I think I have to do that for the longevity.

Q. Had some pretty big moments last year. Making Solheim for the first time. What are you looking for from yourself this year? What are some goals? Another Solheim Cup year. I think you're probably fine for that. What are some other goals maybe away from that?

MAJA STARK: I want to win an LPGA like full field one on U.S. soil. That's one of the big things. Obviously making it into the Olympics would be really cool.

Other than that, just try to focus on the processes this year. I think last year I was just so focused on the results and the rankings and everything and that just made me think way too far ahead. Whereas now it's just the little things in my day that I try to do better.