Despite three bogeys on five holes during the second half, she is at –2 after the first day's play of the US Open, which is being played at Erin Hills in Wisconsin. She has only two strokes up to the lead, which is shared by six players.
Stark opened strongly – strong – and was also long in the lead after five birdies on the first ten holes.
She is not the only Swedish player who has hung on to the top. Linn Grant is at –1 and Linnea Ström, Madelene Sagström, and Ingrid Lindblad are all at par ahead of Friday's continued play.
Anna Nordqvist, who finished second in the US Open in 2016, has started heavier. She went for the first round at +4.
The lead is shared by the Spaniard Julia Lopez Ramirez, the Americans Angel Yin and Yealimi Noh, the Japanese Rio Takeda, and the South Koreans Kim A-Lim and Im Jin-Hee.
