Spirit of the Game: Saki Baba's Big Win

Written by Jerry Stewart | Aug 15, 2022 3:18:44 PM

Saki Baba routed Monet Chun of Canada 11 and 9 on Sunday to become the second Japanese winner in U.S. Women’s Amateur history.

The 17-year-old Baba won the last six holes, ending the match with a birdie on the par-3 27th hole at Chambers Bay.

“It’s just amazing. I just can’t believe it,” Baba said through a translator. “I was able to (play) my kind of golf. Yeah, everything just went smoothly.”

Baba joined 1985 champion Michiko Hattori as the only Japanese winners.

“If she made a mistake, lost a hole, it woke her up and she bounced right back,” said Beau Brushert, Baba’s Chambers Bay caddie. “She didn’t let it get her down. She’s amazing. She’s a lot of fun to watch.”

Baba was one of four amateurs to make the cut in the U.S. Women’s Open at Pine Needles, tying for 49th. She shared medalist honors and reached the round of 32 in the U.S. Girls’ Junior at The Club at Olde Stone.

The margin matched the third-largest in a 36-hole final in the event. Anne Quast Sander set record in 1961, beating Phyllis Preuss 14 and 13. Glenna Collett beat Virginia Van Wie 13 and 12 in 1928, and Babe Didrikson Zaharias routed Clara C. Sherman 11 and 9 in 1946.

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