PAR AND YARDAGE: The Gold Course at Soldier Hollow will be set up at 7,670 yards, the longest course in U.S. Amateur Public Links history, and will play to a par of 36-35—71. One hole from the Silver Course will be used for the championship. 

SOLDIER HOLLOW GOLF COURSE HOLE BY HOLE                    

ARCHITECT: The Gold Course at Soldier Hollow was designed by Gene Bates and opened in 2004. The Silver Course was also designed by Bates. The championship will utilize 17 holes from the Gold Course and one from the Silver Course.             

WHO CAN ENTER: The championship is open to amateur golfers who since Jan. 1 of the current year have been bona fide public course players and who hold a USGA Handicap Index not exceeding 4.4.

ENTRIES: A total of 3,034 entries were accepted for the 2012 U.S. Amateur Public Links. The USGA accepted 2,822 entries for the 2011 APL. The record of 6,300 was set in 1998.

SECTIONAL QUALIFYING: Sectional qualifying, played over 36 holes, was held between June 2-25 at various sites throughout the country.

CHAMPIONSHIP FIELD: The starting field of 156 golfers will be cut after 36 holes to the low 64 scorers, after which six rounds of match play will be contested to determine the champion. Each competitor will play two rounds of stroke play. Practice rounds will be held July 7-8.

SCHEDULE OF PLAY: 

Monday, July 9 – First round, stroke play

Tuesday, July 10 – Second round, stroke play
Wednesday, July 11 – First round, match play
Thursday, July 12 – Second and third rounds, match play
Friday, July 13 – Quarterfinals and semifinals, match play
Saturday, July 14 – Final, match play (36 holes)

2011 CHAMPION: Corbin Mills parred the first extra playoff hole to defeat Derek Ernst in 37 holes to win the 2011 U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship contested at 7,016-yard, par-71 Old Macdonald at the Bandon Dunes Golf Resort. Mills, 21, of Easley, S.C., became the first qualifying medalist to win the APL since fellow Clemson Tiger D.J. Trahan claimed the title in 2000, also in 37 holes at Heron Lakes in Portland, Ore., five hours north of Bandon Dunes.

For more details, visit: http://www.usga.org/ChampEventArticle.aspx?id=21474838145 

EXEMPT PLAYERS: A total of 14 golfers are fully exempt from qualifying for this year's U.S. Amateur Public Links Championships on the basis of past performances in USGA championships or they are among the Top 75 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings supported by The R&A and USGA.

Anton Arboleda -- Top 75 points leader in World Amateur Golf Rankings
Chelso Barrett -- Runner-up at 2011 U.S. Junior Amateur
Zachary Blair -- Top 75 points leader in World Amateur Golf Rankings
James Erkenbeck -- Top 75 points leader in World Amateuer Golf Rankings
Derek Ernst -- Runner-up at 2011 U.S. Amateur Public Links; Top 75 points leader in World Amateur Golf Rankings
Talor Gooch -- Top 75 points leader in World Amateur Golf Rankings
Jace Long -- Top 75 points leader in World Amateur Golf Rankings
Cheng-Tsung Pan -- Top 75 points leader in World Amateur Golf Rankings
Kevin Penner -- Top 75 points leader in World Amateur Golf Rankings
Brad Schneider -- Top 75 points leader in World Amateur Golf Rankings
J.J. Spaun -- Quarterfinalist at 2011 U.S. Amateur Public Links; Top 75 points leader in World Amateur Golf Rankings
Julian Suri -- Top 75 points leader in World Amateur Golf Rankings
T.J. Vogel -- Top 75 points leader in World Amateur Golf Rankings
Chris Williams -- Member of 2011 USA Walker Cup Team; Top 75 points leader in World Amateur Golf Rankings

WHAT THE WINNER RECEIVES: 

1. A 10-year exemption from qualifying for the U.S. Amateur Public Links
2. Exemptions from qualifying for the next two U.S. Amateurs
3. Exemptions from local qualifying for the next three U.S. Opens, provided he is still an amateur
4. A likely invitation to the next Masters Tournament

TICKETS: Admission to the APL is free and spectators are encouraged to attend. For more information, visit http://soldierhollowlinks.com/tickets.

HISTORY: This is the 87th U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship. The championship has been an unqualified success since its inception in 1922, giving exposure to many public-course players who otherwise might not have an opportunity to compete in a national championship.

Professional major championship winners who have competed in the APL include U.S. Open champions Tommy Bolt, Ed Furgol, David Graham and Ken Venturi; Masters champions George Archer and Trevor Immelman; British Open champions Ben Curtis and Tony Lema; and PGA Championship winners Rich Beem, Walter Burkemo, Graham, Bob Hamilton, Dave Marr and Bobby Nichols. Masters champion Trevor Immelman also won the APL in 1998.

Billy Mayfair, two-time champion Ryan Moore and Colt Knost are the only players to have captured the U.S. Amateur and APL titles, the latter two doing it in the same year. Carl Kauffmann is the only player to have won the APL three times, doing so in consecutive years from 1927-29. Seven others have won it twice.

USGA CHAMPIONSHIPS IN UTAH: The 2012 APL is the first USGA championship to be conducted in Utah.

FUTURE SITES: The 2013 APL is scheduled for Laurel Hill G.C. in Lorton, Va., from July 15-20. The 2014 APL will be held at Sand Creek Station in Newton, Kan., from July 14-19.

PHOTO MEDIA SERVICE: The USGA will offer daily complimentary high-resolution photographs during the championship (Monday-Saturday) for news use only. For more information and to register, contact the USGA’s photo archive department at photorequests@usga.org.

IMPORTANT PHONE NUMBERS:USGA Communications Department – (908) 234-2300
On-Site Media Center: (435) 654-5735
USGA Office: (435) 654-1001 

USGA CONTACTS: Mike Trostel and Hunki Yun will be the USGA media representatives on site at Soldier Hollow. Trostel can be reached at (908) 234-2300 x1168 or via e-mail at mtrostel@usga.org. Yun can be reached at (908) 234-2300 x1093 or via e-mail at hyun@usga.org. Media specific information can be found at http://www.usga.org/MC_Home.aspx.