Maja Stark plays it cool after smashing course record to win 2022 ISPS Handa World Invitational

Maja Stark revealed the secret of her success after demolishing the field with some exhibition golf to win the 2022 ISPS Handa World Invitational presented by Aviv Clinics at Galgorm Castle Golf Club.

Stark trailed overnight leader Amanda Doherty by two shots but took the tournament by the scruff of the neck with six birdies on the front nine to lead by three as she turned.

That three shot lead turned into a five-shot victory over Allisen Corpuz, with Georgia Hall one shot further back, after Stark added four more birdies on the way in for a course-record 63 and a 20-under-par total.

She even saved par at the last despite finding the water to keep her card bogey-free.

Ewen Ferguson won the men's competition as this event was tri-sanctioned by the DP World Tour, Ladies European Tour and LPGA Tour

Celebrating her win, Stark admitted she simply played three-hole matches against the course to keep the charge going.

She said: "It would just be so easy so think, 'oh, I'm whatever under par', and then you kind of crumble after that because you get too nervous, but I was like, 'just three more holes, three more holes, and yeah'."

She added: "I managed to just stay calm and not get greedy. With the wind switching, we had some tough choices that we didn't have the other day. It was interesting."

Georgia Hall, who finished third, six off Stark's score, admitted the battle had taken a lot out of her.

She said: "Quite tiring mentally. That fourth week in a row, the last few days really took it out of me. But I played pretty well this week, and really happy to be in contention again, just keep putting myself in that position, and good to birdie the last for solo third."

Doherty, who never got going and closed with a 74, said: "It was good overall. Frustrated with the way it ended, but it was a good learning experience."