"The Starter" recaps the week gone by in golf. PGA Professional Brendon Elliott, a three-decade industry veteran, provides his insights for RG. This week, Elliott breaks down Maja Stark's commanding U.S. Women's Open victory at Erin Hills and Scottie Scheffler's historic repeat triumph at the Memorial Tournament.
LPGA Tour: Stark Delivers Clinical Performance for First Major Title
Maja Stark stood on the 18th tee at Erin Hills with a three-shot lead and the weight of capturing her first major championship squarely on her shoulders. The 25-year-old Swede had controlled the 80th U.S. Women's Open for most of the final round, but the treacherous finishing hole at the Wisconsin venue had already claimed multiple victims throughout the week.
Her drive sailed left into the rough, just as it had on the previous hole, but Stark's composure under pressure proved to be the difference. Despite making bogey on both the 17th and 18th holes, her even-par 72 was more than enough to secure a two-shot victory over world No. 1 Nelly Korda and Japan's Rio Takeda.
"I started shaking a little bit more than I did yesterday, so it was more of a challenge today for sure," Stark admitted afterward, adding that she was "so tired" after what she described as a classic U.S. Open grind.
The final margin of victory at seven-under 281 told only part of the story of Stark's dominant week. Leading by just one shot entering Sunday's final round, she methodically built her advantage through precise course management and clutch putting when it mattered most.
Stark Seizes Control with Mid-Round Surge
The pivotal moment came during a crucial stretch on the back nine that showcased exactly why Stark has emerged as one of the LPGA Tour's most promising talents. After clinging to a one-shot lead through the front nine, everything changed in a matter of minutes around the 11th and 13th holes.
Stark rolled in a confident 14-foot birdie putt at the par-4 11th just as Korda was struggling with a costly three-putt bogey at the 13th. That two-shot swing suddenly gave the Swede a commanding three-stroke cushion with just seven holes remaining.
The lead could have been even larger had Stark converted her eagle opportunity at the par-5 14th, where her approach shot caught the slope perfectly and rolled to within 11 feet of the pin. She settled for birdie after leaving the eagle putt short, but the four-shot advantage proved more than sufficient as her closest competitors began to falter under the pressure.
Korda, seeking her first U.S. Women's Open title, mounted the strongest challenge with back-to-back birdies at the seventh and eighth holes. The American star, who entered the day three shots behind, briefly threatened to make it a genuine contest before her bogey at the 13th effectively ended her chances.
"Still very complicated," Korda said of her relationship with the championship afterward. "It's just an absolute heartbreaker."
Historic Achievement for Swedish Golf
Stark's victory carries special significance beyond just her first major championship. She becomes only the third player from Sweden to capture the U.S. Women's Open trophy, joining an exclusive club that includes the legendary Annika Sorenstam, who won her third and final U.S. Women's Open in 2006.
The achievement represents the culmination of a steady rise through the professional ranks for Stark, who has established herself as one of Europe's most consistent performers over the past several seasons. Her ability to maintain composure during the final round's most pressure-packed moments demonstrated the mental fortitude required to succeed at golf's highest level.
Japan's Hinako Shibuno briefly reached six-under alongside Takeda with a birdie at the 14th, but a devastating double-bogey at the 15th ended her hopes. Takeda managed to stay in contention until a late bogey at the 17th, while playing partner Julia Lopez Ramirez endured a nightmare finish that included a triple-bogey eight at the 18th.
PGA Tour: Scheffler Joins Elite Company with Memorial Repeat
While Stark was making history in Wisconsin, Scottie Scheffler was busy adding another chapter to his remarkable 2025 season at Muirfield Village. The world No. 1's methodical four-shot victory at the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday made him just the second player in tournament history to successfully defend the title, joining Tiger Woods in that exclusive club.
Scheffler's closing 2-under 70 for a 10-under total of 278 never looked in serious doubt, despite a spirited late charge from Ben Griffin that briefly threatened to make things interesting. The victory marked Scheffler's third win in his last four starts, with the lone exception being a tie for fourth at Colonial the week after capturing the PGA Championship.
"It's always a hard week," Scheffler reflected after receiving congratulations from tournament host Jack Nicklaus. "We battled really hard on the weekend. Overall, it was a great week."
Griffin's Valiant Charge Falls Short
Griffin, fresh off his breakthrough victory at the Charles Schwab Challenge just one week earlier, provided the day's most dramatic moments with a late surge that temporarily energized the galleries at Muirfield Village. His 12-foot eagle putt at the par-5 15th followed immediately by a 25-foot birdie at the par-3 16th suddenly brought him within two shots of Scheffler with two holes remaining.
For a brief moment, it appeared that Griffin might complete one of the most improbable back-to-back victories in recent PGA Tour memory. However, the 17th hole proved to be his undoing, as a double-bogey effectively ended his chances and demonstrated why Scheffler has become such a dominant force in professional golf.
"You know Scottie's probably going to play a good round of golf. The guy's relentless. He loves competition, and he doesn't like giving up shots," observed third-place finisher Sepp Straka, who shot 70 to finish three shots behind.
Griffin's final-round 73 was still good enough for solo second place, earning him $2.2 million – ironically more than he collected for his victory at Colonial the previous week. The performance demonstrated the remarkable consistency that has characterized his recent play and suggests that his breakthrough win was no fluke.
Scheffler's Relentless Pursuit of Excellence
What made Scheffler's victory particularly impressive was the manner in which he controlled the tournament from start to finish. Never trailing after the first round, he displayed the same methodical approach that has made him golf's most dominant player over the past several seasons.
The key moment came during a crucial stretch on the back nine when Scheffler's lead briefly shrunk to just one shot after his first bogey in 31 holes at the 10th. Griffin had a four-foot birdie opportunity at the par-5 11th that could have tied the tournament, but Scheffler responded by draining a 15-foot birdie putt while Griffin missed his shorter attempt.
That two-shot swing proved decisive, as Griffin immediately followed with bogeys at the 12th and 13th holes to fall four shots behind. It was a perfect example of Scheffler's ability to deliver clutch performances precisely when the pressure is greatest.
The victory also provided a boost for Rickie Fowler, who earned his first top-10 finish of the year with a tie for seventh. More importantly, the result secured Fowler a spot in The Open Championship based on his higher world ranking compared to fellow top-10 finisher Brandt Snedeker.
Looking Forward
As the golf world prepares for the upcoming Men's U.S. Open, starting on the 12th, and the KPMG Women's PGA Championship, starting on the 19th, both Scheffler and Stark enter this second half of the major championship season with tremendous momentum. Stark's breakthrough performance at Erin Hills has established her as a legitimate contender for future major championships, while Scheffler's continued dominance suggests he remains the player to beat at Oakmont.
The week's events served as a reminder of golf's capacity to produce both breakthrough moments and sustained excellence. Stark's patient pursuit of her first major title and Scheffler's relentless march toward historical achievement represent different aspects of professional golf's enduring appeal, demonstrating why the sport continues to captivate audiences around the world.
