Maja Stark, the current U.S. Women’s Open champion, faced an unusual challenge during the final round of the 2025 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at PGA Frisco in Texas. After breaking the head of her putter on June 22, she completed a crucial putt using a pitching wedge, drawing significant attention to the “Maja Stark broken putter incident.”
Stark’s Final Round Disrupted by Equipment Failure on the 16th Hole
During the closing round at this major tournament, Stark experienced a rare equipment issue on the par 4 16th hole. While navigating the Texas heat and shifting winds, the Swedish professional golfer’s putter head detached unexpectedly after she slammed the putter onto her bag in visible frustration. A video released by NBC captured Stark’s reaction as the broken putter head flew off, prompting her to hand the damaged club to her caddie.
With no traditional putter available, Stark improvised by using her pitching wedge to complete the putt, managing a par on the hole despite the setback. The moment gained wide attention, including a clip shared by NUCLR GOLF on the social platform X, highlighting her composure amid the incident.
Performance Struggles Mark Stark’s Last Nine Holes
The putter mishap occurred amid a difficult stretch on Stark’s back nine, where she encountered two bogeys and a double bogey. Across the entire final round, the LPGA Tour player tallied four bogeys and one double bogey, finishing the round six strokes over par with a 78.
At the conclusion of the 72-hole tournament at PGA Frisco, Stark posted a cumulative score of 12 over par. This marked her tenth start on the LPGA Tour this season and her third attempt to contend at this Major event.
Detailed Overview of Maja Stark’s Fourth Round Scorecard
As the competition progressed, Stark found herself tied for 48th place on the Major leaderboard. Below is a hole-by-hole breakdown of her fourth-round performance at the 2025 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship:
Front Nine
- Hole 1 (par 5) — 5 strokes
- Hole 2 (par 4) — 5 strokes (bogey)
- Hole 3 (par 5) — 5 strokes
- Hole 4 (par 3) — 3 strokes
- Hole 5 (par 4) — 4 strokes
- Hole 6 (par 4) — 4 strokes
- Hole 7 (par 4) — 4 strokes
- Hole 8 (par 3) — 3 strokes
- Hole 9 (par 5) — 5 strokes
- Front Nine Total — 38 (+1)
Back Nine
- Hole 10 (par 4) — 5 strokes (bogey)
- Hole 11 (par 4) — 4 strokes
- Hole 12 (par 4) — 5 strokes (bogey)
- Hole 13 (par 3) — 5 strokes (double bogey)
- Hole 14 (par 5) — 5 strokes
- Hole 15 (par 4) — 4 strokes
- Hole 16 (par 4) — 4 strokes (putted with pitching wedge)
- Hole 17 (par 3) — 3 strokes
- Hole 18 (par 4) — 5 strokes (bogey)
- Back Nine Total — 40 (+5)
Final Round Score — 78 (+6)
Implications of the Incident and Stark’s Tournament Standing
The unexpected putter failure added to an already challenging round, impacting Stark’s momentum in the final major of the season. Despite her efforts to adapt under pressure, the equipment issue and scoring difficulties contributed to her finishing well down the leaderboard. This experience may influence her equipment management and mental resilience in future tournaments.
As the 2025 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship concludes, observers and fans will watch how Stark recovers from this incident in upcoming LPGA Tour events and majors throughout the season, as she aims to improve her standings and build on her success as a major champion.