Imagine the PGA Tour having no majors.
All the tournaments would be somewhat equal with none — like the Masters, U.S. Open, British Open and PGA Championship — considered anything special.
At least Tiger Woods wouldn’t have to rush back from back surgery to chase Jack Nicklaus’ record of 18 majors.
Quick quiz: How many does the 38-year-old Woods have?
Answer: 14 majors.
The U.S. Amateur Public Links championship qualifier, for our locals, is the Masters, U.S. Open, British Open and PGA Championship rolled into one.
It is the most significant golf tournament on the Big Island as the one and only major for the locals amateurs. In fact, it’s a little cousin of the Masters, an old-timer established in 1934.
The national Amateur Public Links 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.
There’s no other tournament on the island that offers such carrots. The United States Golfing Association is pulling those perks from the table for all eternity.
Affectionately known as the publinx, the USGA will retire the 49-year-old APL, the tourney’s formal nickname, 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.
To most golfers, four-ball is seen as a good-time get-together for buddies, not a chance to chase a national amateur championship.
The USGA basically stated the U.S. Amateur and publinx serve the same purpose — if not the same field. The U.S. Amateur is more of a big-money event.
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.
“It’ll be very difficult to get in any kind of national championship next year for our guys,” said Lance Taketa, Hilo’s USGA publinx chief. “They’ll have to fly to Oahu to play in a U.S. Amateur or Mid-Amateur qualifier where the field is a lot deeper and there very few spots. There might be one or two to get into the U.S. Amateur because on the mainland the number of entries are really, really high.
“Our local Hilo USGA will close and also the national publinx. Everything will end this year. It means there won’t be any USGA sectional qualifiers in Hilo ever again, unless something strange happens. It’s a huge issue for our local golfers. It’s a big deal.”
Taketa tried pleading with the USGA executive committee, but found nothing but deaf ears.
“Our guys are really sad to hear about the retirement of the APL,” he said. “You know how politics work. Once they make up their mind, that’s it. That’s why I’m trying to see it in a different light, work with the PGA instead of the USGA.”
The USGA handles rules of golf and championships for amateurs, and three tournaments for pros: U.S. Open, U.S. Women’s Open and U.S. Senior Open.
The PGA (Professional Golfers Association) is primarily involved with pro events and growth of the game, like the Masters Drive, Pitch and Putt championships at Hilo Muni.
“I don’t think the executive committee of the USGA realizes the ramifications of the retirement of the APL,” Taketa said. “Public golf is the backbone of the game. When you take something like that away, what do the public golfers play for? You don’t have that much to play for as an amateur.
“It’s a huge issue for the PGA of America. We’ve got to step up. That’s why we’re running the PGA Junior Championships on Maui next week. We’re consistently looking for things to promote the game. What the USGA is doing is kind of killing the game.
“Nobody cares about four-ball. If they did, we’d see four-ball on the PGA Tour. It’s more of a fun thing, not a serious thing.”
The last APL national championship will be held July 14-19 at Sand Creek Station Golf Course in Newton, Kan.
Saturday’s tee times
7 a.m.: Henri Aki, Eric Tao, Arnold Tengan, Wendell Kojiro
7:09 a.m.: Chris Igawa, Clayton Amuro, Devan Aburamen, Dalen Yamauchi
7:18 a.m.: Ryley Chong, Casey Tamura, Shon Katahira, Trevor Hirata
7:27 a.m.: Cory Young, Ric Yamamoto, Pono Yanagi, Preston-Lee Ching
7:36 a.m.: Kuakini Baltero, Brett Furutani, Sean Shields, Paul Moffett
7:45 a.m.: William Schwartz, Mason Hocson, Jay Jacobs, Leo Cumlat
7:54 a.m.: Lihiwai Ignacio, Kalai Pomroy, Caleb Akau, Isaiah Kanno
8:03 a.m.: Lorin Tamashiro, Douglas Oki, Shea Miyashiro, Warren Arakaki
8:12 a.m.: Gary Cooper, Russell Paiva, Shaun Downie, Anson Alameida
8:21 a.m.: Alvin Tanaka, John Kushi, Daryl Yagi, Davin Yagi
8:30 a.m.: Colin Hashiro, JJ Oakley, Elston Takayama, Brian Culbertson
8:39 a.m.: Dereck Botelho, Toshihisa Aoki, Richard Nii, Larry Nagata
8:48 a.m.: John Bartholomew, Russell Kuwaye, Brett Smith, Scott Oune, Tracy Kitamura
