JM EAGLE LA CHAMPIONSHIP

April 26, 2024

Maja Stark

Quick Quotes

Q. Here with Maja Stark after her second round at the JM Eagle LA Championship. Another solid round for you. You got off to a birdie I think real quick. Actually, no, you started on 10, right?

MAJA STARK: Started on 1.

Q. So got off to a birdie real quick.

MAJA STARK: Yes.

Q. How did you open the day? Take us through it.

MAJA STARK: I think we just said on the first tee to stay patient. Obviously made that birdie on 1. Didn't really expect it. It looked like it was tough out there. So made that, had a couple of good chances the next few holes.

But, yeah, just tries to stay patience. Didn't really think about what I was doing too much.

Q. I believe I jinxed it, but you did have a bogey today. I know you don't like talking about your mistakes but just what happened there?

MAJA STARK: I wasn't really comfortable with the club. Kind of felt like it was going to go short but hit it anyway. Got into the bunker. I don't like blaming the bunker but there wasn't much sand in it so I didn't feel very comfortable in it. I just didn't put enough speed. Just got over the lip but bounced back.

So, yeah, hit another bunker shot. Up-and-down from there. At least I got a little bit of momentum from making the putt.

Q. I know you've been on a long bogey-free train. Was it just a relief to be like, okay, now I can refocus or were you not even thinking about it?

MAJA STARK: Usually it's like that anyway. I don't really know when my last bogey was. Usually if I make a bogey that kind of gets me out of my defensive mindset, so then it's like ah, screw it, let's just go. Usually helps me and I think it did that today.

Q. You've had a ton of birdies so far this week. Where have they been coming from? Have you been making a lot of good putts or sticking it close to the pin? Where has your success come from?

MAJA STARK: I think it's mostly just making putts. Yeah, my shorter putting has been better these past two weeks. But just I feel way more comfortable on the greens righted now. Just like from 6 through 15 feet it's kind of where I've taken a big step up. So I think that is where they come from.

Q. How important is that this week? I know the greens are known to be really tricky.

MAJA STARK: Yeah, I feel like maybe not taking everything so personal because they are a little bit wobbly. Especially late. Like the whole day pretty much the ball has been wobbling because there has been so many people walking on it.

Yeah, don't really take -- like be too serious about what happened but then just try it lag putt the putts that you have to. And then hope that you get a bonus one that goes in.

Yeah.

Q. I know you're four strokes off the lead right now. What is it going to take tomorrow to maybe close that gap?

MAJA STARK: I think I'm just going to keep playing my game and not focus on her too much. Obviously she's doing something amazing. I didn't really know that 12-under through two rounds was possible out here.

Yeah, just going to keep doing what I've been doing because it seems to be working.

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