The U.S. Amateur Public Links championship qualifier has had a good 49-year run at the Hilo Municipal Golf Course, but the end is near.
The U.S. Amateur Public Links championship qualifier has had a good 49-year run at the Hilo Municipal Golf Course, but the end is near.
Affectionately known as the publinx, the United States Golfing Association will retire the APL, the tourney’s formal moniker, after the 2014 season. The women’s publinx or WAPL will also be retired.
Four-ball national tourneys will replace both because, in part, the USGA claimed the format is gaining in popularity.
“As of now, I don’t think Hilo will have a sectional qualifier for four-ball,” said Lance Taketa, Hilo’s USGA publinx chief. “I will definitely miss having the opportunity to take up APL qualifiers from Hilo, and give them a chance to play in a national amateur championship.
“The big picture will be the loss of a great championship for amateurs in Hilo. This event was the only one where the qualifiers can directly move on to a national championship.”
The USGA basically stated the U.S. Amateur and publinx serve the same purpose — if not the same field.
The original intention of the publinx was to give exposure to public course players who otherwise might not have an opportunity to compete in a national championship.
The U.S. Amateur is more of a big-money event. It’s held over two courses and has a field of more than 300 players, twice that of the national APL, where attendance is free. The U.S. Amateur sells tickets, and a corporate buffet menu.
Taketa knows all about the different atmospheres. He’s played at both events.
“When you’re talking U.S. Amateur, you’re talking big business, one step from being a touring pro,” he said. “It’s not a social atmosphere. You lose that camaraderie. At the publinx, you get to know the players, the officials, and it becomes a nice thing. The publinx experience is so good because everybody treats you so well. I’ve made so many friends there.”
The APL champion receives an exemption from qualifying for the next two U.S. Amateurs, local qualifying for the next three U.S. Opens (provided amateur status), and a likely invitation to the Masters.
Of course, that’s gone after this year, and so is the USGA Hilo section.
In a nutshell, the publinx is the road for the local underdog, and the biggest of all is Kauai’s Casey Watabu, who beat future PGA Tour pro Anthony Kim in 2006 to win the APL and earn a Masters invite.
Taketa inherited his USGA post for the local publinx qualifier from Tai On Chock, who was inducted in the Hawaii Golf Hall of Fame in 1991 and passed away in 2001. He helped the Big Island get its own USGA section, which became a permanent Hilo home for the publinx.
“It grew the publinx even bigger. Nobody had to travel so much,” Taketa said. “Without him, we wouldn’t have our own Hilo section. He had such a big heart.”
“While this retirement of the APL stymies the progress of the game of golf, I will continue to work hard to keep Tai On Chock’s dream of promoting golf in Hawaii alive and well through other tournaments and events,” Taketa added.
The last APL national championship will be held July 14 to 19 at Sand Creek Station Golf Course in Newton, Kan.