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CHAMPIONSHIPS

Interview With Open Champions Maja Stark, J.J. Spaun

By USGA

| Jun 17, 2025

Newly minted U.S. Open champion J.J. Spaun answers questions from the media after besting the field at Oakmont C.C. (USGA/Chris Keane)

Following the conclusion of the U.S. Women’s Open Presented by Ally at Erin Hills and U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club, champions Maja Stark and J.J. Spaun answered a few questions for the Victory Club Newsletter presented by Lexus.

Maja Stark 

You join an incredible list of Swedish major champions, but you join an even shorter list that has just Liselotte and Annika as U.S. Women's Open champions. How does it feel to add your name to the list of those great women?

STARK: It's so cool. They texted me yesterday and just kind of said, "Bring it home.” That was already cool to get those texts. Looking at all the names on the trophy. I love the U.S. Opens. I'm so happy that it's mine now.

You had a big wait on the 18th green. What was going through your mind?

STARK: Not really that much. My caddie used to be a stand-up comedian, so he had some good jokes. We just kind of tried to talk about some stuff and not be too into my own putt.

For years to come, you're going to stare at that trophy. When you reflect back on this win, what's the one shot that earned you that trophy?

STARK: I think it's my putt on the green on 18 because it felt like there's so much that could go wrong. It's downhill, right to left, and if I hit it too hard, then it was just going to keep rolling. So I was very nervous over that putt. I'm happy that I just got it to tap-in distance. I think that being able to hit that putt at that time was the biggest thing I've ever done because it kind of showed me that I don't have to be affected by my emotions. I can just do what I was supposed to do anyway.

Maja Stark, of Sweden, chats with LPGA Now after claiming the U.S. Women's Open at Erin Hills. (USGA/Dustin Satloff)

Maja Stark, of Sweden, chats with LPGA Now after claiming the U.S. Women's Open at Erin Hills. (USGA/Dustin Satloff)

J.J. Spaun

You talked about your close calls this year and how adversity is a really, really good teacher. What are those lessons that you drew from that really helped you bring it across the finish line today?

SPAUN: I just felt like if you keep putting yourself in these positions, eventually you're going to tick one off. I don't put myself in this position often, or at all, for a major, that's for sure. This is only my second U.S. Open. But all the close calls that I've had on the PGA TOUR this year have just been really good experience to just never, never give up. Actually, I was thinking about -- I was having lunch with Max Homa at home. We live in the same area. We belong at the same club. He was telling a Tiger story where he was like, as long as you are still there, you don't have to do anything crazy, especially at a U.S. Open. He's like, Tiger said this would happen, and the wind will switch, but you've got to just stay there. Even if you're four back, you've just got to stay there. You don't have to do anything crazy. I kind of was thinking about that out there this afternoon, where I was four back.

You don't usually get 90 minutes in the middle of a tense round to collect your thoughts. How did you maintain your focus while not just obsessing over shots like the flagstick and that sort of thing?

SPAUN: I thought it was a good thing having the delay. It happened to me at THE PLAYERS earlier this year where I was kind of struggling on the front nine. I had the lead going into Sunday, and we had a four-hour delay, I think. I ended up turning that round into a nice fight where I got myself into the playoff. All I was thinking was -- and even my whole team, my coach, my caddie, they were like, his is exactly what we need. And it was. We went back out and capitalized. I changed my outfit. I'm like, I'm done wearing those clothes. I just needed to reset everything, kind of start the whole routine over.

We saw you carrying your daughter up the steps after making that putt. Are you the luckiest guy in the world after what happened these last four days?

SPAUN: One hundred percent, at least in my mind. Just to finish it off like that is just a dream. You watch other people do it. You see the Tiger chip [at the Masters on No. 16], you see Nick Taylor's putt [at the 2023 RBC Canadian Open], you see crazy moments. To have my own moment like that at this championship, I'll never forget this moment for the rest of my life.