The 17-year-old Japanese player never doubted her chances of competing in the 122nd U.S. Women's Amateur final as she directed a commanding semifinal performance on Saturday at Chambers Bay.
The entire time, Baba remarked, "I was just thinking, I'm going to win, I'm going to win," and she did win, defeating Bailey Shoemaker, a 17-year-old, 7–6. Since Annika Sorenstam defeated Pat Cornett-Iker by the same score in the championship semifinals in 1992, this matchup's highest margin of victory has occurred.
Two high students who have previously had some success in the USGA competed against one another this year. Before moving on to Round 32 last month at the U.S. Girls' Junior, Baba won the stroke-play medal. Shoemaker, who finished second with partner Kaitlyn Schroeder in the U.S. Women's Amateur Four-Ball and made it to the U.S. Girls' Junior quarterfinals, also made the cut at the U.S. Women's Open and tied for 49th.
Baba, however, went on to win five of the first seven holes and never looked back. Baba had won 14 of her past 22 holes in her quarterfinal match. According to her caddie, Beau Brushert, "I can't even remember one three-putt she's had this week; her putting has been outstanding." Baba will now play junior from Canada Monet Chun in the 36-hole final match on Sunday against the University of Michigan. To improve her game, Chun stopped playing competitive golf in high school. She is currently the defending Big Ten individual medalist and the Canadian Women's Amateur winner. In the last seven U.S. Women's Amateurs, she defeated UCLA's Annabel Wilson by a score of 2 and 1 to secure the third all-international final. There has only ever been one before.
Baba and Chun rated Nos. 45 and 143, respectively, are already exempt for the U.S. Women's Open at Pebble Beach next summer before they ever hit a shot on Sunday. Baba hopes to become the first player from Japan to since Michiko Hattori's victory in the 1985 U.S. Women's Amateur.
Chun has a chance to become the third Canadian to win the title.
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