U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship Golf Tournament
The U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship was, from 1922 through 2014, one of the USGA national championship tournaments conducted by the United States Golf Association. The USAPL was for male amateurs who did not belong to a private golf club — for public-course golfers, in other words. (A women's tournament, the U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links Championship, existed from 1977-2014.)
2013 — Jordan Niebrugge def. Michael Kim, 1-up
2012 — T.J. Vogel def. Kevin Aylwin, 12 and 10
2011 — Corbin Mills def. Derek Ernst, 1-up (37 holes)
2010 — Lion Kim def. David McDaniel, 6 and 5
2009 — Brad Benjamin def. Nick Taylor, 7 and 6
2008 — Jack Newman def. John Chin, 5 and 3
2007 — Colt Knost def. Cody Paladino, 6 and 4
2005 — Clay Ogden def. Martin Ureta, 1-up
2006 — Casey Watabu def. Anthony Kim, 4 and 3
2005 — Clay Ogden def. Martin Ureta, 1-up
2004 — Ryan Moore def. Dayton Rose, 6 and 5
2003 — Brandt Snedeker def. Dayton Rose, 10 and 9
2002 — Ryan Moore def. Lee Williamson, 10 and 9
2001 — Chez Reavie def. Danny Green, 2-up (38 holes)
2000 — D.J. Trahan def. Bubba Dickerson, 1-up (37 holes)
1999 — Hunter Haas def. Michael Kirk, 4 and 3
1998 — Trevor Immelman def. Jason Dufner, 3 and 2
1997 — Tim Clark def. Ryuji Imada, 7 and 6
1996 — Tim Hogarth def. Jeff Thomas, 8 and 7
1995 — Chris Wollmann def. Bill Camping, 4 and 3
1994 — Guy Yamamoto def. Chris Riley, 1-up (37 holes)
1993 — David Berganio Jr. def. Brandon Knight, 2 and 1
1992 — Warren Schutte def. Richard Mayo Jr., 3 and 2
1991 — David Berganio Jr. def. Michael Combs, 3 and 2
1990 — Michael Combs def. Terrence Miskell, 4 and 3
1989 — Tim Hobby def. Henry Cagigal, 4 and 3
1988 — Ralph Howe III def. Kevin Johnson, 1-up (37 holes)
1987 — Kevin Johnson def. Jimmy England, 10 and 9
1986 — Bill Mayfair def. Jim Sorenson, 3 and 2
1985 — Jim Sorenson def. Jay Cooper, 12 and 11
1984 — Bill Malley def. Dirk Jones, 2 and 1
1983 — Billy Tuten def. David Hobby, 3 and 1
1982 — Billy Tuten def. Brad Heninger, 6 and 5
1981 — Jodie Mudd def. Billy Tuten, 3 and 2
1980 — Jodie Mudd def. Rick Gordon, 9 and 8
1979 — Dennis Walsh def. Eric Mork, 4 and 3
1978 — Dean Prince def. Tony Figueredo, 5 and 3
1977 — Jerry Vidovic def. Jeff Kern, 4 and 2
1976 — Eddie Mudd def. Archie Dadian, 1-up (37 holes)
1975 — Randyn Barenaba def. Alan Yamamoto, 1-up (37 holes)
1974 — Charles Barenaba Jr., 290
1973 — Stan Stopa, 294
1972 — Bob Allard, 285 (def. Rick Schultz, 71-74 in playoff)
1971 — Fred Haney, 290
1970 — Robert Risch, 293
1969 — John M. Jackson Jr., 292
1968 — Gene Towry, 292
1967 — Verne Callison, 287
1966 — Lamont Kaser def. Dave Ojala, 6 and 5
1965 — Arne Dokka def. Leo Zampedro, 10 and 9
1964 — William McDonald def. Dean Wilson Jr., 5 and 3
1963 — Robert Lunn def. Stephen Oppermann, 1-up
1962 — R.H. Sikes def. Hung Soo Ahn, 2 and 1
1961 — R.H. Sikes def. John Molenda, 4 and 3
1960 — Verne Callison def. Tyler Caplin, 7 and 6
1959 — William A. Wright def. Frank W. Campbell, 3 and 2
1958 — Dan Sikes Jr. def. Bob Ludlow, 3 and 2
1957 — Don Essig III def. Gene Towry, 6 and 5
1956 — James Buxbaum def. W.C. Scarbrough Jr., 3 and 2
1955 — Sam Kocsis def. Lewis Bean, 2-up
1954 — Gene Andrews def. Jack Zimmerman, 1-up
1953 — Ted Richards Jr. def. Irving Cooper, 1-up
1952 — Omer L. Bogan def. Robert Scherer, 4 and 3
1951 — Dave Stanley def. Ralph Vranesic, 1-up (38 holes)
1950 — Stanley Bielat def. John Dobro, 7 and 5
1949 — Ken Towns def. William Betger, 5 and 4
1948 — Michael Ferentz def. Ben Hughes, 2 and 1
1947 — Wilfred Crossley def. Avery Beck, 6 and 5
1946 — Smiley L. Quick def. Louis Stafford, 3 and 2
1942-45 — Not played
1941 — William Welch Jr. def. Jack Kerns, 6 and 5
1940 — Robert Clark def. Michael Dietz, 8 and 6
1939 — Andrew Szwedko def. Phillip Gordon, 1-up
1938 — Al Leach def. Louis Cyr, 1-up
1937 — Bruce McCormick def. Don Erickson, 1-up
1936 — B. Patrick Abbott def. Claude Rippy, 4 and 3
1935 — Frank Strafaci def. Joe Coria, 1-up (37 holes)
1934 — David Mitchell def. Arthur Armstrong, 5 and 3
1933 — Charles Ferrera def. R.L. Miller, 3 and 2
1932 — R.L. Miller def. Pete Miller, 4 and 2
1931 — Charles Ferrera def. Joe Nichols, 5 and 4
1930 — Robert Wingate def. Joe Greene, 1 up
1929 — Carl Kauffmann def. Milton Soncrant, 4 and 3
1928 — Carl Kauffmann def. Phil Ogden, 8 and 7
1927 — Carl Kauffmann def. William F. Serrick, 1-up (37 holes)
1926 — Lester Bolstad def. Carl Kauffmann, 3 and 2
1925 — Ray McAuliffe def. William F. Serrick, 6 and 5
1924 — Joseph Coble def. Henry Decker, 2 and 1
1923 — Richard Walsh def. J. Stewart Whitham, 6 and 5
1922 — Eddie Held def. Richard Walsh, 6 and 5
When the U.S. Amateur Public Links was created, in 1922, the U.S. Amateur Championship was open only to golfers who belonged to a golf club affiliated with the USGA. The USGA, therefore, added this tournament so that public-course golfers could also compete for a national championship.
The USAPL was frequently referred to, in shorthand, as the Public Links, the Publinks, or the Publinx. It was discontinued after the 2014 tournament when the USGA decided to replace it with a fourball tournament. (The USGA opened the U.S. Amateur to all golfers beginning in 1979, so the original rationale for the Publinx no longer applied.)
The Format: At the time of its last playing, the event had a 156-person field filled through sectional qualifying tournaments. The field played two days of stroke play and was cut to the top 64. Those 64 golfers continued into match play, playing 18-hole matches. The championship match was 36 holes.
Winners of the U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship
2014 — Byron Meth def. Doug Ghim, 1-up (37 holes)2013 — Jordan Niebrugge def. Michael Kim, 1-up
2012 — T.J. Vogel def. Kevin Aylwin, 12 and 10
2011 — Corbin Mills def. Derek Ernst, 1-up (37 holes)
2010 — Lion Kim def. David McDaniel, 6 and 5
2009 — Brad Benjamin def. Nick Taylor, 7 and 6
2008 — Jack Newman def. John Chin, 5 and 3
2007 — Colt Knost def. Cody Paladino, 6 and 4
2005 — Clay Ogden def. Martin Ureta, 1-up
2006 — Casey Watabu def. Anthony Kim, 4 and 3
2005 — Clay Ogden def. Martin Ureta, 1-up
2004 — Ryan Moore def. Dayton Rose, 6 and 5
2003 — Brandt Snedeker def. Dayton Rose, 10 and 9
2002 — Ryan Moore def. Lee Williamson, 10 and 9
2001 — Chez Reavie def. Danny Green, 2-up (38 holes)
2000 — D.J. Trahan def. Bubba Dickerson, 1-up (37 holes)
1999 — Hunter Haas def. Michael Kirk, 4 and 3
1998 — Trevor Immelman def. Jason Dufner, 3 and 2
1997 — Tim Clark def. Ryuji Imada, 7 and 6
1996 — Tim Hogarth def. Jeff Thomas, 8 and 7
1995 — Chris Wollmann def. Bill Camping, 4 and 3
1994 — Guy Yamamoto def. Chris Riley, 1-up (37 holes)
1993 — David Berganio Jr. def. Brandon Knight, 2 and 1
1992 — Warren Schutte def. Richard Mayo Jr., 3 and 2
1991 — David Berganio Jr. def. Michael Combs, 3 and 2
1990 — Michael Combs def. Terrence Miskell, 4 and 3
1989 — Tim Hobby def. Henry Cagigal, 4 and 3
1988 — Ralph Howe III def. Kevin Johnson, 1-up (37 holes)
1987 — Kevin Johnson def. Jimmy England, 10 and 9
1986 — Bill Mayfair def. Jim Sorenson, 3 and 2
1985 — Jim Sorenson def. Jay Cooper, 12 and 11
1984 — Bill Malley def. Dirk Jones, 2 and 1
1983 — Billy Tuten def. David Hobby, 3 and 1
1982 — Billy Tuten def. Brad Heninger, 6 and 5
1981 — Jodie Mudd def. Billy Tuten, 3 and 2
1980 — Jodie Mudd def. Rick Gordon, 9 and 8
1979 — Dennis Walsh def. Eric Mork, 4 and 3
1978 — Dean Prince def. Tony Figueredo, 5 and 3
1977 — Jerry Vidovic def. Jeff Kern, 4 and 2
1976 — Eddie Mudd def. Archie Dadian, 1-up (37 holes)
1975 — Randyn Barenaba def. Alan Yamamoto, 1-up (37 holes)
1974 — Charles Barenaba Jr., 290
1973 — Stan Stopa, 294
1972 — Bob Allard, 285 (def. Rick Schultz, 71-74 in playoff)
1971 — Fred Haney, 290
1970 — Robert Risch, 293
1969 — John M. Jackson Jr., 292
1968 — Gene Towry, 292
1967 — Verne Callison, 287
1966 — Lamont Kaser def. Dave Ojala, 6 and 5
1965 — Arne Dokka def. Leo Zampedro, 10 and 9
1964 — William McDonald def. Dean Wilson Jr., 5 and 3
1963 — Robert Lunn def. Stephen Oppermann, 1-up
1962 — R.H. Sikes def. Hung Soo Ahn, 2 and 1
1961 — R.H. Sikes def. John Molenda, 4 and 3
1960 — Verne Callison def. Tyler Caplin, 7 and 6
1959 — William A. Wright def. Frank W. Campbell, 3 and 2
1958 — Dan Sikes Jr. def. Bob Ludlow, 3 and 2
1957 — Don Essig III def. Gene Towry, 6 and 5
1956 — James Buxbaum def. W.C. Scarbrough Jr., 3 and 2
1955 — Sam Kocsis def. Lewis Bean, 2-up
1954 — Gene Andrews def. Jack Zimmerman, 1-up
1953 — Ted Richards Jr. def. Irving Cooper, 1-up
1952 — Omer L. Bogan def. Robert Scherer, 4 and 3
1951 — Dave Stanley def. Ralph Vranesic, 1-up (38 holes)
1950 — Stanley Bielat def. John Dobro, 7 and 5
1949 — Ken Towns def. William Betger, 5 and 4
1948 — Michael Ferentz def. Ben Hughes, 2 and 1
1947 — Wilfred Crossley def. Avery Beck, 6 and 5
1946 — Smiley L. Quick def. Louis Stafford, 3 and 2
1942-45 — Not played
1941 — William Welch Jr. def. Jack Kerns, 6 and 5
1940 — Robert Clark def. Michael Dietz, 8 and 6
1939 — Andrew Szwedko def. Phillip Gordon, 1-up
1938 — Al Leach def. Louis Cyr, 1-up
1937 — Bruce McCormick def. Don Erickson, 1-up
1936 — B. Patrick Abbott def. Claude Rippy, 4 and 3
1935 — Frank Strafaci def. Joe Coria, 1-up (37 holes)
1934 — David Mitchell def. Arthur Armstrong, 5 and 3
1933 — Charles Ferrera def. R.L. Miller, 3 and 2
1932 — R.L. Miller def. Pete Miller, 4 and 2
1931 — Charles Ferrera def. Joe Nichols, 5 and 4
1930 — Robert Wingate def. Joe Greene, 1 up
1929 — Carl Kauffmann def. Milton Soncrant, 4 and 3
1928 — Carl Kauffmann def. Phil Ogden, 8 and 7
1927 — Carl Kauffmann def. William F. Serrick, 1-up (37 holes)
1926 — Lester Bolstad def. Carl Kauffmann, 3 and 2
1925 — Ray McAuliffe def. William F. Serrick, 6 and 5
1924 — Joseph Coble def. Henry Decker, 2 and 1
1923 — Richard Walsh def. J. Stewart Whitham, 6 and 5
1922 — Eddie Held def. Richard Walsh, 6 and 5
U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship Facts & Figures
Most Victories
- 3 wins — Carl F. Kauffmann (1927, 1928, 1929)
- 2 wins — David Berganio Jr., Verne Callison, Charles Ferrera, Ryan Moore, Jodie Mudd, R.H. Sikes, Billy Tuten
Golfers Who Won Both the USAPL and U.S. Amateur
- Billy Mayfair: 1987 Amateur Public Links; 1986 Amateur
- Ryan Moore: 2002, 2004 Amateur Public Links; 2004 Amateur
- Colt Knost: 2007 Amateur Public Links; 2007 Amateur
- Carl Kaufmann reached the championship match four consecutive years, 1926-29, and won the latter three times. Only three others have won consecutive titles: R.H. Sikes, 1961-62; Jodie Mudd, 1980-81; and Billy Tuten, 1982-83.
- The 1959 champion, Bill Wright, was the first African-American to win a USGA championship.
- The three golfers who won both the Publinx and the U.S. Amateur — Colt Knost, Ryan Moore and Billy Mayfair — all went on to PGA Tour careers.
- The largest margin of victory in the championship match is 12-and-11. Jim Sorenson def. Jay Cooper by that lopsided score in 1985.
- In 2005, the 15-year-old Michelle Wie reached the quarterfinals of the men's Public Links. (The "men's" Publinx was actually open to anyone who wanted to try to qualify; it was referred to as the "men's" tournament because there was also, from 1977 on, a tournament specifically for women.)
- The U.S. Amateur Public Links was contested at stroke play from 1967-74.
- Beginning in 1989, The Masters awarded entry into its tournament to the winner of the U.S. Amateur Public Links.
