HOUSTON — Maja Stark should’ve been on top of the world after winning the U.S. Women’s Open last year at Erin Hills.
That couldn’t have been further from the truth. Stark struggled on and off the golf course dealing with anxiety. She wasn’t playing well or living up to expectations that she suddenly felt as a major winner.
“I had a lot of anxiety after the U.S. Open and, switching caddies too, after the summer and then it just felt like I didn't know what I was doing anymore,” Stark said. “I didn't feel comfortable at all on the course, so ended up getting a lot of the professional help with the mental stuff.
“Now I feel like I'm back. I have a mental coach, sports psych, therapist. I’ve got a lot of people working to help me practice. I'm really grateful for them. It's just been a while. Been working on it for a long time but finally feels like it's not a big problem anymore. I know how to handle the anxiety out there.”
Stark has done a lot of work and is in a good place as she tries to put another major victory on her resume at the Chevron Championship at Memorial Park Golf Course. She got off to a solid start, shooting three-under 69 in the first round on Thursday, which was only two shots off the lead.
The 26-year-old had to deal with conquering the microscope she was under after winning a major.
“I think it was probably more spotlight, just expectations from others,” Stark said of the anxiety. “I still felt like that was just another week and I did things well there. You get comments and stuff saying, ‘what's happened? You just won a major. Why do you suck all of a sudden?’ That does take some energy, and it just makes you focus on the wrong things. Then I got even more stressed and anxious.
“I guess I felt like everything was good that week and then it was just like, what do I have to do to get back to that? Then I was just kind of stuck in the past for a long time. I really didn't like that.”
After winning at Erin Hills, Stark missed five of the next seven cuts before finishing tied for fifth at the Kroger Queen City Championship. Then, she made five of the next six cuts to finish the year.
Stark expanded her team and switched caddies midseason last year. Now, she’s back to using her previous caddie Hadley Trenfield, who she had worked with for a long time.
On Thursday, she started her round with a bogey on her first hole of the day. She moved on seamlessly, with birdies on four of the next seven holes. She parred the entire back nine and made no more bogeys after the first one.
“I think a lot of it has to do with just getting older, because sometimes it feels like it's the end of the world to make a bogey, especially in a major, especially starting with it,” Stark said. “Now, it's just like, ‘well, I made bogey on my opening hole so many times before and it doesn't have to dictate the whole round.’
“It's nice to be at this point in my career. We have so many opportunities and stuff. It feels more like a normal week, but more intense I guess.”