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The 42
2 days ago
- Sport
- The 42
Sweden's Maja Stark grabs one-shot lead at US Women's Open
MAJA STARK FIRED three birdies in an impressively steady two-under-par 70 at unforgiving Erin Hills on Saturday to seize a one stroke lead over Julia Lopez Ramirez heading into the final round of the 80th US Women's Open. Sweden's Stark, a European Solheim Cup stalwart chasing her first major title, kept her focus in a round that stretched nearly six hours as players wrestled with firm, fast greens on a breezy, sunny day in Wisconsin. Her seven-under-par total put her one stroke clear of Spanish qualifier Lopez Ramirez, whose four-under-par 68 was the best score of a day on which only nine players broke par. Japan's Mai Saigo, who started the day with a three-shot lead, carded a three-over-par 75 to share third alongside compatriots Rio Takeda and Hinako Shibuno on five-under. Advertisement World number one Nelly Korda, who played alongside Saigo in the final group, finished strong in a one-over 73 that left her three adrift on four-under. Stark opened with a confidence-boosting birdie at the first hole. She bogeyed the third, but stuck her second shot at the 10th two feet from the pin for a birdie. Stark rattled in a 21-foot birdie at the par-three 16th to seize a share of the lead on seven-under, capping her round with a par at the par-five 18th and emerging with the solo lead as Saigo closed with back-to-back bogeys. The tough scoring made Lopez Ramirez's round look all the more impressive. The 22-year-old, who had to pause her LPGA rookie campaign in March after undergoing an appendectomy, eagled the par-five first and bounced back from a bogey at the third with a birdie at the seventh, where she got up and down from a greenside bunker. She added birdies at 12 and 16 to put herself in contention for a first major title. Saigo, gunning for a second major title of the season after winning the Chevron Championship in April, was battling even before her bogey-bogey finish. She had two birdies and a bogey in her first three holes then bogeyed the fourth, fifth and sixth — failing to get up and down after missing the geen at all three. The 23-year-old had regained the solo lead with an eight-foot birdie at the 12th but couldn't hang on. Korda appeared to be spiraling out of contention with four bogeys on the front nine. That included three-putts at the second and fifth and a five-foot miss at the seventh. But the American star clawed back with birdies at the 14th and 15th — where she took advantage of the US Golf Association's decision to move up the tee to drive the green and calmly rolled in an eight-foot birdie putt. Her six-foot birdie putt at the 18th circled the cup before falling in, leaving her exactly where she started the day three shots off the lead. – © AFP 2025
Japan Today
2 days ago
- Sport
- Japan Today
Maja Stark avoids mistakes to take 1-shot lead into final round of the U.S. Women's Open
Maja Stark, of Sweden, putts on the seventh hole during the third round of the U.S. Women's Open golf tournament at Erin Hills Saturday, May 31, 2025, in Erin, Wis. (AP Photo/Matt York) golf By STEVE MEGARGEE Maja Stark shot a 2-under 70 and avoided the mistakes that befell other contenders Saturday to take a one-stroke lead into the final round of the U.S. Women's Open at Erin Hills. The 25-year-old from Sweden had a 7-under 209 total. Julia Lopez Ramirez of Spain was second after a 68, the best score of the day. The Japanese trio of Rio Takeda (70), Hinako Shinobu (72) and second-round leader Mao Saigo (75) followed at 5 under. Top-ranked Nelly Korda was 4 under after a 73. Saigo took a three-shot lead into the day but slumped as Erin Hills proved much tougher for the entire field than it had seemed the last couple of days. Saigo made three straight bogeys at Nos. 4- 6 to drop into a tie for first. She made an 8 1/2-foot birdie putt on No. 12 to move back into sole possession of the lead, but Stark tied her with a 21 1/2-foot birdie on the par-3 16th. Saigo then bogeyed the last two to fall two back. Speedier greens and tricker pin placements wreaked havoc with just about everyone on the course, leading to plenty of double bogeys and triple bogeys. The most notable example of this came on the par-4 15th, when Esther Henseleit's eagle putt from 55 feet away rolled 90 feet beyond the hole and went into the rough. Henseleit ended up with a double bogey. Plenty of other contenders faced similar misfortune. A Lim Kim, who entered Saturday in a six-way tie for second place, birdied No. 1 to get to 6 under, then went 7 over for the next four holes. Kim bogeyed No. 2, double-bogeyed No. 3, triple-bogeyed No. 4 and bogeyed No. 5. She ended up with a 77. Jinhee Im and Yealimi Noh also had been part of that six-way tie for second at the start of the day. Im birdied two of her first three holes to get to 6 under before she triple-bogeyed the par-4 fourth. Noh also was at 6 under before a double bogey on No. 3. Im ended up with a 79, and Noh shot 75. Korda also struggled early before coming on strong late. Korda had a 40 on the front nine with four bogeys and no birdies, but rallied with three birdies on her last five holes. This U.S. Women's Open won't have a repeat champion. Yuka Saso, who won this event in 2021 and 2024, missed the cut. © Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Chicago Tribune
2 days ago
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
Sweden's Maja Stark takes a 1-shot lead into final round of US Women's Open in Wisconsin
ERIN, Wis. — Maja Stark shot a 2-under 70 and avoided the mistakes that befell other contenders Saturday to take a one-stroke lead into the final round of the U.S. Women's Open at Erin Hills. The 25-year-old from Sweden had a 7-under 209 total. Julia Lopez Ramirez of Spain was second after a 68, the best score of the day. The Japanese trio of Rio Takeda (70), Hinako Shinobu (72) and second-round leader Mao Saigo (75) followed at 5 under. Top-ranked Nelly Korda was 4 under after a 73. Saigo took a three-shot lead into the day but slumped as Erin Hills proved much tougher for the entire field than it had seemed the first two days. Saigo made three straight bogeys at Nos. 4- 6 to drop into a tie for first. She made an 8½-foot birdie putt on No. 12 to move back into sole possession of the lead, but Stark tied her with a 21½-foot birdie on the par-3 16th. Saigo then bogeyed the last two to fall two back. Speedier greens and tricker pin placements wreaked havoc with just about everyone on the course, leading to plenty of double bogeys and triple bogeys. The most notable example came on the par-4 15th, where Esther Henseleit's eagle putt from 55 feet away rolled 90 feet beyond the hole and into the rough. Henseleit ended up with a double bogey. Plenty of other contenders faced similar misfortune. A Lim Kim, who entered Saturday in a six-way tie for second, birdied No. 1 to get to 6 under, then went 7 over for the next four holes. Kim bogeyed No. 2, double-bogeyed No. 3, triple-bogeyed No. 4 and bogeyed No. 5. She ended up with a 77. Jinhee Im and Yealimi Noh also were part of that six-way tie for second at the start of the day. Im birdied two of her first three holes to get to 6 under before she triple-bogeyed the par-4 fourth. Noh also was at 6 under before a double bogey on No. 3. Im ended up with a 79, and Noh shot 75. Korda also struggled early before coming on strong late. She shot a 40 on the front nine with four bogeys and no birdies but rallied with three birdies in her last five holes. This U.S. Women's Open won't have a repeat champion. Yuka Saso, who won this event in 2021 and 2024, missed the cut.
NBC Sports
2 days ago
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Maja Stark avoids mistakes to take 1-shot lead into final round of the U.S. Women's Open
ERIN, Wis. — Maja Stark shot a 2-under 70 and avoided the mistakes that befell other contenders Saturday to take a one-stroke lead into the final round of the U.S. Women's Open at Erin Hills. The 25-year-old from Sweden had a 7-under 209 total. Julia Lopez Ramirez of Spain was second after a 68, the best score of the day. The Japanese trio of Rio Takeda (70), Hinako Shinobu (72) and second-round leader Mao Saigo (75) followed at 5 under. Top-ranked Nelly Korda was 4 under after a 73. Saigo took a three-shot lead into the day but slumped as Erin Hills proved much tougher for the entire field than it had seemed the last couple of days. Saigo made three straight bogeys at Nos. 4- 6 to drop into a tie for first. She made an 8 1/2-foot birdie putt on No. 12 to move back into sole possession of the lead, but Stark tied her with a 21 1/2-foot birdie on the par-3 16th. Saigo then bogeyed the last two to fall two back. Speedier greens and tricker pin placements wreaked havoc with just about everyone on the course, leading to plenty of double bogeys and triple bogeys. The most notable example of this came on the par-4 15th, when Esther Henseleit's eagle putt from 55 feet away rolled 90 feet beyond the hole and went into the rough. Henseleit ended up with a double bogey. Plenty of other contenders faced similar misfortune. A Lim Kim, who entered Saturday in a six-way tie for second place, birdied No. 1 to get to 6 under, then went 7 over for the next four holes. Kim bogeyed No. 2, double-bogeyed No. 3, triple-bogeyed No. 4 and bogeyed No. 5. She ended up with a 77. Jinhee Im and Yealimi Noh also had been part of that six-way tie for second at the start of the day. Im birdied two of her first three holes to get to 6 under before she triple-bogeyed the par-4 fourth. Noh also was at 6 under before a double bogey on No. 3. Im ended up with a 79, and Noh shot 75. Korda also struggled early before coming on strong late. Korda had a 40 on the front nine with four bogeys and no birdies, but rallied with three birdies on her last five holes. This U.S. Women's Open won't have a repeat champion. Yuka Saso, who won this event in 2021 and 2024, missed the cut.
Hamilton Spectator
2 days ago
- Sport
- Hamilton Spectator
Stark avoids mistakes to take 1-shot lead into final round of U.S. Women's Open
ERIN, Wis. (AP) — Maja Stark shot a 2-under 70 and avoided the mistakes that befell other contenders Saturday to take a one-stroke lead into the final round of the U.S. Women's Open at Erin Hills. The 25-year-old from Sweden had a 7-under 209 total. Julia Lopez Ramirez of Spain was second after a 68, the best score of the day. The Japanese trio of Rio Takeda (70), Hinako Shinobu (72) and second-round leader Mao Saigo (75) followed at 5 under. Top-ranked Nelly Korda was 4 under after a 73. Saigo took a three-shot lead into the day but slumped as Erin Hills proved much tougher for the entire field than it had seemed the last couple of days. Saigo made three straight bogeys at Nos. 4- 6 to drop into a tie for first. She made an 8 1/2-foot birdie putt on No. 12 to move back into sole possession of the lead, but Stark tied her with a 21 1/2-foot birdie on the par-3 16th. Saigo then bogeyed the last two to fall two back. Speedier greens and tricker pin placements wreaked havoc with just about everyone on the course, leading to plenty of double bogeys and triple bogeys. The most notable example of this came on the par-4 15th, when Esther Henseleit's eagle putt from 55 feet away rolled 90 feet beyond the hole and went into the rough. Henseleit ended up with a double bogey. Plenty of other contenders faced similar misfortune. A Lim Kim, who entered Saturday in a six-way tie for second place, birdied No. 1 to get to 6 under, then went 7 over for the next four holes. Kim bogeyed No. 2, double-bogeyed No. 3, triple-bogeyed No. 4 and bogeyed No. 5. She ended up with a 77. Jinhee Im and Yealimi Noh also had been part of that six-way tie for second at the start of the day. Im birdied two of her first three holes to get to 6 under before she triple-bogeyed the par-4 fourth. Noh also was at 6 under before a double bogey on No. 3. Im ended up with a 79, and Noh shot 75. Korda also struggled early before coming on strong late. Korda had a 40 on the front nine with four bogeys and no birdies, but rallied with three birdies on her last five holes. This U.S. Women's Open won't have a repeat champion. Yuka Saso, who won this event in 2021 and 2024, missed the cut. No Canadians made the cut. ___ AP golf:
