Saki Baba

Baba became only the second Japanese winner of the US Women’s Amateur last August, after Michiko Hattori in 1985.

At the age of 17, Baba dominated the final against Monet Chun at Chambers Bay, completing an emphatic 11 and 9 victory by winning six holes in succession.

“Honestly, I was trying to match up, but it was pretty amazing just to watch,” said Chun. “She was going for every pin, making every putt, and that’s hard to match up, I think.”

Baba also made the cut at last year’s US Women’s Open, finishing tied 49th at Pine Needles.