SALT LAKE CITY — It's been a long time — 116 years — since the United States Golf Association started conducting golf tournaments, which began with the U.S. Open in 1895 and now includes 13 annual events.
In all that time with all those events, the state of Utah has never hosted a USGA event, one of just three states never to have the honor.
However, that will change in 2012 when the U.S. Amateur Public Links golf tournament is played at the Soldier Hollow Golf Course at Wasatch Mountain State Park in Midway.
The official announcement was made Tuesday morning at the State Parks and Recreation building in Salt Lake City. Gov. Gary Herbert was on hand for the announcement, along with various sports and golf administrators from around the state.
"The USGA is both excited and incredibly proud to be bringing a national championship to a state as deserving as Utah," said Mike Bailey, a member of the regional affairs committee of the USGA. "With this announcement, the State of Utah's vision of hosting a national championship at Soldier Hollow has finally become reality."
Bailey said Bill McKenzie, the USGA's director of the Public Links tournament, made a site visit last year and was "simply overwhelmed," being impressed with not only the golf course, but the facilities, the people and the Heber Valley area.
"There is no doubt that the players, families and officials will fall in love with Soldier Hollow and the state of Utah," Bailey said.
The Public Links tournament is open to amateurs not affiliated with private clubs and is the fourth oldest of the USGA events, having been played since 1922.
Solider Hollow pro Chris Newson is thrilled to have the tournament at his golf course. He was one of the main proponents of bringing the tournament to Soldier Hollow and he went to last year's Public Links tournament in Oklahoma to get a feel for the event.
He said approximately $200,000 is needed to run the tournament, including transportation for the athletes and food and other amenities at the golf course. Because it is an amateur event, sponsors are not allowed, but Newson is confident the community will support the tournament with volunteers and donations.
"This really is a significant day for us as Utahns to host this first-ever amateur championship here at Soldier Hollow," said Herbert. "One of the best-kept secrets is to participate in golf with so many beautiful courses at very affordable prices. But as of today, no more."
The Soldier Hollow Golf Course was built in 2005 on the site of the 2002 Winter Olympics cross country and biathlon courses. Course architect Gene Bates was present Tuesday, and he said the two nines on the Gold Course would be flip-flopped and that the course would be played between 7,455 and 7,557 yards.
Native Utahn Clay Ogden won the Public Links tournament in 2005 and earned an invitation to the Masters, which invites the Publinks winner every year. He was also on hand for Tuesday's announcement.
"The USGA is extremely proud to have Utah's Soldier Hollow Golf Course as a future host of the U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship," said USGA President Jim Hyler, who was not on hand for the announcement. "The Amateur Public Links is our fourth-oldest championship, with a rich and storied history. We are thrilled to bring one of our most prestigious championships to the state of Utah and Soldier Hollow for the first time."
The Publinks tournament will be played the same week that the Men's State Amateur is traditionally played. However, the State Am will just be moved back a week, said USGA executive director Thomas Pagel.
With Utah getting its first USGA event, New Hampshire and Alaska are the only states that have never played host to a USGA event.
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