All eyes of the amateur golf world will be centered on Norman. July 13-18, when OU plays hosts the U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship at Jimmie Austin Golf Club.

The championship will mark the first time the Publinx will be held in Oklahoma, and the first time for the event to be held at a university facility.

Last year, the Amateur Public Links Championship was held at the 7,551-yard, par 71 Murphy Creek Golf Course in Aurora, Colo. The championship is open to amateur public course golfers who hold a USGA handicap index not exceeding 4.4 strokes. Players also are not allowed to be members of any private golf clubs.

“Before I got here [in 2005], there were individuals like Greg Gross, Stan Ball, former OU head pro and Gene Mortenson, a former USGA official,” said Rodney Young. OU director of golf. “They all worked diligently to get a major event here. They wrote letters and worked with the USGA, but were denied several times. However, their tenacity and Stan Ball’s ability to stay on top of it is what got it awarded to us.”

As for the participants, they will come to Jimmie Austin the second week in July with hopes of becoming the next champion.

One hundred fifty-six players will qualify to play in two rounds of stroke play. The field will then be cut to the top 64 players who will then compete under the match play format to find the United States champion.

The Jimmie Austin Golf Club is a Perry Maxwell/Press Maxwell layout originally opened in 1950. It was then redesigned by Robert Cupp in 1996.

As for the track, it couldn’t be in any better condition, Young said.

“We made major changes during the fall of 2007,” Young said. “We redesigned all of the greens, all of the bunkers and all of the green surroundings, as well as adding several tee boxes.”

And like any USGA set-up, expect the course to play fair but tough.

“The USGA will set the tees everyday. We actually built eight specific tee boxes for them (the USGA) to use,” Young said. “They want the rough to be thick but consistent, and the greens will run fast and firm.”

Young also added that the rough is currently at two inches but would be raised to about two-and-one-half inches until the USGA tournament officials arrive in Norman July 6.

So what could be a winning score?

“It just depends on the weather,” Young said. “If someone in the medal play shoots a 135, there’s a good chance of winning. The course is going to be fair if they keep it in the fairway, if they don’t make any mistakes. It’s going to be possible to see a course record out there.”

The current course record is 65. Shot by former Sooner and current professional golfer Hunter Hass during his bid for qualification into the U.S. Public Links in 1999, the score marks the lowest competitive course record since the redesign.

For Norman residents and golf enthusiasts alike, the championships are a tremendous opportunity to show what Oklahoma golf has to offer.

“It’s free to get in; free parking as well,” Young said.

There will be gallery ropes around the greens of No. 9 and No. 18 only. Other than that, the gallery is welcome to walk alongside the competitors.

Even more incentive for golf fans to come watch the action will be two participants with local ties who have already qualified for the tournament.

Oklahoma assistant golf coach Phillip Bryan and current Sooner golfer Liam Logan both have qualified to play.

Logan, a Fort Worth native, qualified last week at Oklahoma City’s Lincoln Park Golf Course, en route to shooting a 10-under-par score to win medalist honors.

Oklahoma 2009-10 recruit Nathan Chambers is the first alternate for the tournament.

As the tournament draws closer, there is still room for volunteers and caddies.

For more information on becoming apart of the 2009 U.S. Public Links, call 325-6716.