Maja Stark three behind leaders in first appearance as full LPGA Tour member at Amazingcre Portland Classic
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Updated 18/09/2022 at 20:32 GMT
The Amazingcre Portland Classic represented the debut on the LPGA Tour on American soil for rising star Maja Stark. The 22-year-old Swede elected to take up her LPGA Tour card after winning the ISPS Handa World Invitational in August. Stark is well placed to make it a winning appearance as she put herself firmly in contention with 18 hole remaining in the event.
‘It means the world’ - Stark thrilled to secure LPGA Tour card with World Invitational win
Maja Stark is well placed to push for a maiden win on the LPGA Tour on American soil after playing her way into contention at the Amazingcre Portland Classic.
The Swede is one of the rising stars of the golfing world after a string of wins on the Ladies European Tour.
Stark earned a playing card for the LPGA Tour when winning the co-sanctioned ISPS Handa World Invitational in August.
The 22-year-old elected to take up the option, and made her debut in Portland this week.
With the likes of Nelly Korda, Brooke Henderson and Leona Maguire in action, Stark was dipping her toes into the big league.
There were no signs of nerves over the course of the first couple of days at the Columbia Edgewater Country Club, and she kept herself in the hunt in the third round to sit three behind leaders Ayaka Furue, Andrea Lee and Lilia Vu.
Third Round Leaderboard
- T1. Ayaka Furue, 13-under
- T1. Andrea Lee, 13-under
- T1. Lilia Vu, 13-under
- T4. Hinaki Shibuno, 12-under
- T4. Paula Reto, 12-under
- T4. Daniela Darquea, 12-under
- T4. Hannah Green, 12-under
- T8. Esther Henseleit, 11-under
- T8. Ryann O’Toole, 11-under
- T10. Frida Kinhult, 10-under
- T10. Caroline Inglis, 10-under
- T10. Carlota Ciganda, 10-under
- T10. Maya Stark, 10-under
Stark is a multi-faceted golfer, as she has length off the tee, is a precision iron player and has a deft touch around the greens.
She demonstrated the latter on the eighth when she chipped in from the rough behind the green for a fourth birdie in a row.
Stark had a costly three-putt for a double bogey on the 16th to drop back to 10-under, but her round of 70 left her three off the lead.
Korda bounced back from a disappointing 73 on Friday to climb up the leaderboard with a 69 to get to seven-under.
The world No. 2 is possibly too far back, but Korda cannot be ruled out as she chases a first win of 2022 on the LPGA Tour - and has memories of winning from 10 shots behind earlier this summer at the Aramco Team Series.
Henderson made a birdie on her final hole to post a 69 to get to nine-under, and the proven big-event winner will be in the rear-view mirrors of the leaders.
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