Stark a trophy at the end of a rainbow – photo Golf NSW
Sweden’s Maja Stark has completed a productive two weeks on Australian soil with a five shot win over her fellow Swede Johanna Gustavsson in the Women’s NSW Open at the Coolangatta Tweed Golf Club today.
After finishing one shot behind winner, Meghan Maclaren, at the Australian Ladies Classic in Bonville Resort last week, Stark led by four heading into the final round but was challenged by Gustavsson through the middle of the final round, in fact the difference became just one when Stark bogeyed the 12th.
Three consecutive bogeys late in her round, however, saw Gustavsson lose touch with the lead and when Stark birdied the final two holes the event’s outcome was decided.
23-year-old Stark, in just her second season as a professional, was the highest world ranked player in the field (81st) leading into the event and will improve further as a result of the victory, her fourth in less than twelve months on the Ladies European Tour and her second of 2022.
She leads the Race to Costa del Sol, essentially the Order of Merit for the Ladies European Tour, and she appears on track for a very productive professional career especially given the aggressive nature of her game and her capacity to win events.
Argentina’s Magdalena Simmermacher finished a shot behind Gustavsson in third place alone.
The leading Australian was Queenslander, Cassie Porter, who finished 6th, although Gold Coast 15 year old, Sarah Hammett, again impressed when finishing in a share of 8th after a best of the day final round of 67.
