Saki Baba doesn’t lack for confidence.
As she was orchestrating a dominating semifinal performance Saturday afternoon at Chambers Bay, the 17-year-old from Japan never questioned her prospects of reaching Sunday’s final of the 122nd U.S. Women’s Amateur.
“During the round I was just thinking, I’m going to win, I’m going to win, the whole time,” said Baba, who did just that, routing fellow 17-year-old Bailey Shoemaker, 7 and 6, the largest margin of victory in the semifinals of this championship since 1992, when Annika Sorenstam beat Pat Cornett-Iker by the same score.
It was a matchup of two high schoolers who have already enjoyed their fair shares of success in USGA championships this year.