Saki Baba

{{Infobox golfer

| name = Saki Baba
{{nihongo2|馬場咲希}}

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| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|2005|4|25|df=y}}

| birth_place = Hino, Tokyo, Japan

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| height = 177 cm

| sporting_nationality = {{JPN}}

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| yearpro = 2023

| tour = LPGA of Japan Tour
LPGA Tour

| extour = Epson Tour

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| anainspiration = CUT: 2023, 2025

| lpga = CUT: 2025

| wusopen = T36: 2025

| wbritopen = CUT: 2023

| evian = CUT: 2023

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{{nihongo|Saki Baba|馬場咲希|Baba Saki}} (born 25 April 2005) is a Japanese professional golfer. She won the 2022 U.S. Women's Amateur.{{cite web |title=17-year-old wins U.S. Women's Amateur with wild 11&9 beatdown at Chambers Bay |url=https://golf.com/news/chambers-bay-womens-am-saki-baba/ |website=Golf.com |access-date=31 August 2022}}

Career

In 2021, Baba finished sixth in the Kanto Women's Amateur and seventh in the Kanto Junior Championship. The next year, she won both tournaments.

Baba qualified for the 2022 U.S. Women's Open at the Boso Country Club in Japan on 25 April, her 17th birthday, carding rounds of 69-70. At Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club, Baba shot 73-72-70-78 to finish tied for 49th, one of four amateurs to make the cut.{{cite web |title=Player Bio: Saki Baba |url=https://www.usga.org/content/usga/home-page/championships/2022/u-s--women-s-open/players/101948.html |publisher=USGA |access-date=31 August 2022}}

In August 2022, Baba won the U.S. Women's Amateur, becoming the second Japanese player to capture the title after Michiko Hattori in 1985. Baba won the last six holes of the 36-hole final, ending the match against Canadian Monet Chun with a birdie on the 27th hole, for a score of 11 and 9.{{cite web |title=Golf: Japan's Saki Baba, 17, wins U.S. Women's Amateur championship |url=https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2022/08/5fdaf09953f9-urgent-japans-baba-17-wins-us-womens-amateur-golf-championship.html |publisher=Kyodo News |access-date=31 August 2022}}

Baba represented Japan at the 2022 Espirito Santo Trophy in France alongside Mizuki Hashimoto and Miku Ueta. They shared third place with Germany, one stroke behind Sweden and the United States.{{cite magazine |title=U.S. charge comes up short as Sweden women win World Amateur Team title |url=https://www.golfdigest.com/story/world-amateur-team-championship-women-usa-sweden-germany-rose-zhang-rachel-heck |first=Todd |last=Leonard |date=27 August 2022 |access-date=31 August 2022 |magazine=Golf Digest}}

Baba turned professional in 2023 and earned status on the 2024 LPGA of Japan Tour and Epson Tour via qualifying school.{{cite magazine |url=https://golfweek.usatoday.com/lists/who-is-at-lpga-q-series/ |title=LPGA Q-Series: Tour winners, Solheim Cup players and brand new pros set for 108-hole grind |magazine=Golfweek |first=Beth Ann |last=Nichols |date=29 November 2023}}

In December 2024, Baba earned her LPGA Tour card for 2025 by finishing T-24 at the LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament.{{cite web |url=https://www.lpga.com/news/2024/players-finishing-in-positions-1-25-and-ties-earn-lpga-tour-status-in-category-15 |title=Players Finishing in Positions 1-25 and Ties Earn LPGA Tour Status in Category 15 |publisher=LPGA |date=December 10, 2024}}

Amateur wins

2022 Kanto Women's Amateur Championship, Kanto Junior Championship, U.S. Women's Amateur

Source:{{cite web |title=Saki Baba |url=https://www.wagr.com/playerprofile/baba-saki-34802 |publisher=World Amateur Golf Ranking |access-date=31 August 2022}}