olf ▁Association . ▁The ▁US GA ▁typically ▁called ▁the ▁event ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Am ateur ▁Public ▁Link s , ▁which ▁it ▁has ▁registered ▁as ▁a ▁service ▁mark . ▁The ▁tournament ▁was ▁de vised ▁as ▁a ▁championship ▁for ▁golf ers ▁who ▁played ▁on ▁public ▁courses , ▁as ▁members ▁of ▁private ▁clubs ▁were ▁bar red ▁from ▁entry . ▁In ▁February ▁ 2 0 1 3 , ▁the ▁US GA ▁announced ▁that ▁the ▁event ▁would ▁be ▁dis cont in ued ▁after ▁its ▁ 2 0 1 4 ▁edition , ▁and ▁would ▁be ▁replaced ▁by ▁a ▁new ▁men ' s ▁amateur ▁four - ball ▁championship . ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁Public ▁Link s ▁was ▁held ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 2 ▁at ▁the ▁Ott awa ▁Park ▁Cour se ▁in ▁To led o , ▁Ohio . ▁The ▁event ▁grew ▁over ▁time , ▁from ▁ 1 4 0 ▁entries ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 2 ▁to ▁over ▁ 6 , 0 0 0 ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 8 . ▁ ▁The ▁Pub lin x ▁was ▁created ▁to ▁provide ▁an ▁out let ▁for ▁national ▁competition ▁for ▁public - course ▁golf ers ▁because ▁at ▁that ▁time , ▁entry ▁to ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Am ateur ▁was ▁restricted ▁to ▁members ▁of ▁clubs ▁that ▁were ▁affili ated ▁with ▁the ▁US GA ▁or ▁( pres umably ) ▁other ▁national ▁gover ning ▁bodies . ▁However , ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 9 , ▁entry ▁to ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Am ateur ▁was ▁opened ▁to ▁all ▁am ateurs , ▁whether ▁or ▁not