JM EAGLE LA CHAMPIONSHIP

April 28, 2024

Maja Stark

Quick Quotes

Q. All right, Maja, it's looking like a Top 2 for the second week in a row. As you come off the course here, what is your overall takeaway from there Wilshire experience?

MAJA STARK: Just been really good practice in patience. I'm really proud of the way I've played. I feel like I've hit a lot of good shots and I feel like my nerves kind of took over for a little while, but I was always able to get back to the normal -- my normal state of mind.

So that's been just great.

Q. When did you start to feel those nerves on the final day?

MAJA STARK: This final day it was mostly in the beginning of the day. I was telling myself to just go for it and not hold back, but it's easier said than done.

But, yeah, I didn't feel like I was as bad today as yesterday in the front nine, but still some work to do.

Q. What do you take out of the last two tournaments? Obviously put yourself in contention to win. What's the biggest takeaway?

MAJA STARK: Probably just to stay patient. There is so much you can mess up. If you move forward from that -- I think I've struggled before and just been so hung up on, oh, I made a double; now my chances are gone.

That's really not the case. I've just been learning through experience, too, that I can turn it around pretty quick.

Q. You were certainly applying some pressure and making birdies. Seemed like every time you made a birdie Hannah responded and made one as well. What was that like out there?

MAJA STARK: I didn't see much of what she was doing. I just heard a big roar on 17 and that was the eagle I think. Yeah. So I mean, not much you can do about that.

I didn't want to make it too easy for her.

Q. Your last six holes in particular, to be able to turn it on coming down the closing stretch, what was going through your mind?

MAJA STARK: I just kind of thought, screw it. Now is not the time to hold back anymore. I think that just made me swing is a little bit more freely. I don't think I had to think as much on the putts.

I've been kind of -- some technique stuff has been occupying my mind, especially with the putting, so I was just focusing on the hole and it obviously works well. Going to try to keep doing that.

Q. When you say screw it, is it screw to maybe the game plan you set earlier, or is it just try to be as aggressive as possible?

MAJA STARK: No. We stick to game plan, but the aggressiveness -- sometimes when I stand over the ball I hesitate and then I obviously don't hit very good shots because it's impossible.

When I say screw it, it just kind of relieves myself of the pressure and I just tell myself I don't care where that goes. Obviously I do care, but something clicks in my brain to just pretend like I don't care.

Q. Seems like the putter was red hot this week. Any changes you made with the putter in either the last couple weeks or coming out of Chevron?

MAJA STARK: Not really. Started getting a new way of visualizing the putts so I think that's helped for sure; but not really anything in particular.

Q. How much did you try to just keep that momentum going from Chevron and the last couple weeks? Was there ever any pressure to keep this momentum going?

MAJA STARK: No, not really. I mean, maybe a little bit from back home. There was a lot of the talk about Olympics in the media and I feel like people all of a sudden started saying -- well, I hadn't seen them talking much about the Olympics before Chevron, but then all of a sudden feels like people were saying that I was basically in it which is really not the case. There is a long way left.

So it's just been that. I've just been trying to tell myself that if I focus on that, that's never going to work, because all I can control is my own behaviors. To make it into the Olympics it depends so much on what other people do.

I have just been trying to put that back in my mind.

Q. When you are playing the way you're playing, do goals like that start to take shape in your mind? What do you do to keep it focused on one shot at a time?

MAJA STARK: I just kind of let those thoughts come, and then get back to what I'm supposed to do. Because I feel like if I try it push it I way it's just going to keep coming back. If I had the thought, I let to come and it's going to go away.

Yeah, I move on and do what I need to.

Q. When do we see you next?

MAJA STARK: Founders? Yes.

Q. What will you do in the off week? Putting the clubs down for a bit? I feel like you're at a pace where it's maybe hard to step away.

MAJA STARK: No. I have no problems chilling out. I've barely practiced this week because I was so tired. I've been nauseous and tired all week. But obviously not when I step on the to golf course. Then I'm actually fine.

I have not been feeling like doing anything this week.

Q. All right. So a good off week.

MAJA STARK: Yeah.