Yuka Saso’s dream run in the US Women’s Amateur Championship ended on a fighting note Saturday when she fell 2 and 1 to Virginia Elena Carta of Italy, the reigning US NCAA individual champion, in the semifinals at the Rolling Green Golf Club in Pennsylvania. Saso, the youngest player in the match play phase at 15, led early in the game but could not recover against Carta, 19, after the Italian tied the game with a par on the ninth and then moved ahead with another par on the 10th. A spectacular par from the bunker by Saso on the 12th that squared the match nearly rattled Carta. But Carta stormed back with par against a bogey on the 14th from the Fil-Japanese to take the lead for good. Carta sealed the deal with a birdie on the 17th to go 2 up with one hole left to win match. [...]
