▁main ▁tournament . ▁Exception s ▁to ▁above : ▁The ▁US GA ▁did ▁consider ▁some ▁players ▁with ▁privileges ▁at ▁non - public ▁facilities ▁to ▁be ▁" b ona ▁f ide ▁public ▁course ▁players ," ▁specifically ▁those ▁whose ▁privileges ▁were ▁sole ly ▁due ▁to ▁any ▁of ▁the ▁following : ▁Their ▁en roll ment ▁in ▁a ▁specific ▁educational ▁institution . ▁Their ▁status ▁as ▁active ▁or ▁retired ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁military . ▁Their ▁current ▁or ▁former ▁employ ment ▁by ▁an ▁entity ▁other ▁than ▁a ▁golf ▁club . ▁The ▁Public ▁Link s ▁was ▁open ▁to ▁men ▁and ▁women , ▁although ▁very ▁few ▁women ▁ever ▁entered . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁ 1 5 - year - old ▁Mich elle ▁Wie ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁woman ▁to ▁advance ▁to ▁the ▁match - play ▁portion ▁of ▁the ▁tournament . ▁She ▁was ▁also ▁the ▁first ▁woman ▁to ▁ever ▁qual ify ▁for ▁any ▁US GA ▁championship ▁typically ▁played ▁by ▁men . ▁ ▁En tr ants ▁qualified ▁to ▁play ▁in ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Am ateur ▁Public ▁Link s ▁by ▁playing ▁one ▁of ▁many ▁qual ifying ▁tournament s ▁held ▁at ▁sites ▁around ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁with ▁players ▁comple ting ▁ 3 6 ▁holes ▁of ▁stroke ▁play ▁in ▁one ▁day . ▁The ▁ 6 4 ▁qual ifiers ▁played ▁in ▁the ▁tournament ▁proper ▁which ▁began ▁with ▁three ▁r ounds ▁of ▁stroke ▁play ▁to ▁narrow ▁the ▁field ▁to ▁ 1 6 ▁players ▁who ▁then ▁competed ▁in ▁a ▁single - el im ination ▁match ▁play ▁tournament . ▁ ▁Each ▁match ▁was ▁ 1 8