U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links
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The U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links Championship, often referred to as the Public Links or the Publinx, is a women's amateur golf tournament, one of 10 individual amateur championships organized by the USGA. The USGA typically calls the event the U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links, which it has registered as a service mark. The tournament was devised as, and remains, a championship for golfers who play on public courses, as members of private clubs are barred from entry.
The first men's Publinx was held in 1922, but it's first women's counterpart was not held until 1977. The main tournament opens with two rounds of stroke play. The leading 64 players then qualify to compete in a match play competition. The matches are played over 18 holes. Before 2002, the final was also played over 18 holes. Starting in 2002, the final has been played over 36 holes.
Eligibility is similar to that for the U.S. Women's Amateur. Golfers must follow the USGA's guidelines for amateur status, which basically consider anyone who has ever played or taught golf for money to be a professional. The Public Links, like the U.S. Women's Amateur, has no age limit. However, there are two key differences in the eligibility criteria for the Public Links:
- Entries are accepted from golfers with a USGA women's handicap of 18.4 or lower, as opposed to 5.4 for the U.S. Women's Amateur.
- Entries are not accepted from players who have playing privileges at golf clubs not open to the general public, and such golfers are not allowed to compete if they receive such privileges between their entry and the end of the main tournament.
- Exceptions to above: The USGA does consider some players with privileges at non-public facilities to be "bona fide public course players," specifically those whose privileges are solely due to any of the following:
- Their enrollment in a specific educational institution.
- Their status as active or retired members of the military.
- Their current or former employment by an entity other than a golf club.
- Exceptions to above: The USGA does consider some players with privileges at non-public facilities to be "bona fide public course players," specifically those whose privileges are solely due to any of the following:
13 year-old Michelle Wie became the youngest champion in the history of USGA adult championships when she won the 2003 U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links. Wie was also the youngest Publinx competitor, when she played in 2000 as a 10 year-old. The 2003 Publinx was Wie's last amateur tournament victory.
[edit] Winners
| Year | Venue | Winner | Country | Score | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Red Tail Golf Club | ||||
| 2008 | Erin Hills Golf Course | ||||
| 2007 | Kearney Hill Golf Links | Mina Harigae |  United States |
4 & 3 | Stephany Fleet |
| 2006 | Walking Stick G.C. | Tiffany Joh | United States |
6 & 5 | Kimberly Kim |
| 2005 | Swope Memorial G.C. | Eun Jung Lee |  South Korea |
37 holes | Tiffany Chudy |
| 2004 | Golden Horseshoe G.C. (Green Course) | Ya-Ni Tseng |  Taiwan |
1 up | Michelle Wie |
| 2003 | Ocean Hammock G.C. | Michelle Wie | United States |
1 up |  Virada Nirapathpongporn |
| 2002 | Sunriver Resort (Meadow Course) | Annie Thurman | United States |
6 & 5 | Hwanhee Lee |
| 2001 | Kemper Lakes G.C. | Candie Kung | Taiwan |
2 up | Missy Farr-Kaye |
| 2000 | Legacy Golf Links | Catherine Cartwright | United States |
3 & 1 | Russamee Gulyanamitta |
| 1999 | Santa Ana Golf Club | Jody Niemann | United States |
1 up | Sue Billek Nyhus |
| 1998 | Kapalua (Hawaii) Golf Club (Bay Course) | Amy Spooner | United States |
2 & 1 | Natalie Wong |
| 1997 | Center Square (Pa.) G.C. | Jo Jo Robertson | United States |
3 & 2 | Angie Yoon |
| 1996 | Spencer T. Olin Community G.C. | Heather Graff | United States |
5 & 4; | Lauri Berles |
| 1995 | Hominy Hill G.C. | Jo Jo Robertson | United States |
3 & 1 | Elizabeth Drambour |
| 1994 | Tam O'Shanter G.C. | Jill McGill | United States |
6 & 4 | Heidi Voorhees |
| 1993 | Jackson Hole Golf & Tennis | Connie Masterson | United States |
1 up | Holly Reynolds |
| 1992 | Haggin Oaks G.C. | Amy Fruhwirth | United States |
3 & 1 | Sara Evens |
| 1991 | Birdwood G.C. | Tracy Hanson | United States |
1 up | Carri Wood |
| 1990 | Hyland Hills G.C. | Cathy Mockett | United States |
5 & 4 | Barbara Blanchar |
| 1989 | Indian Canyon G.C. | Pearl Sinn | United States |
2 & 1 | Kelli Akers |
| 1988 | Page Belcher G.C. | Pearl Sinn | United States |
2 & 1 | Tami Jo Hemingsen |
| 1987 | Cog Hill G. & C.C. (No. 4 Course) | Tracy Kerdyk | United States |
4 & 3 | Pearl Sinn |
| 1986 | Sentry World G.C. | Cindy Schreyer | United States |
3 & 2 | Vicki Goetze |
| 1985 | Flanders Valley G.C., (Red and Blue nines) | Danielle Ammaccapane | United States |
6 & 5 | Kristie Kolacny |
| 1984 | Meadowbrook G.C. | Heather Farr | United States |
3 & 2 | Kristie Kolacny |
| 1983 | Ala Wai G.C. | Kelli Antolock | United States |
2 & 1 | Nancy Taylor |
| 1982 | Alvamar G.C. | Nancy Taylor | United States |
2 & 1 | Kerri Clark |
| 1981 | Emerald Valley G.C. | Mary Enright | United States |
3 & 1 | Lauri Merten |
| 1980 | Center Square G.C. | Lori Castillo | United States |
2 & 1 | Pam Miller |
| 1979 | Braemar G.C. | Lori Castillo | United States |
2 up | Becky Pearson |
| 1978 | Myrtlewood G.C. (Palmetto Course) | Kelly Fuiks | United States |
5 & 4 | Diana Schwab |
| 1977 | Yahara Hills G.C. | Kelly Fuiks | United States |
1 up | Kathy Williams |
[edit] Multiple winners
- 2 wins: Kelly Fuiks, Lori Castillo, Pearl Sinn, Jo Jo Robertson
Three players have won both the U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links and United States Women's Amateur Championships:
- Pearl Sinn
- Amy Fruhwirth
- Jill McGill
