The Open Championship

You know what I hate, really hate, this time of year!

My temper gets shorter, my blood pressure rise’s, in fact I become a major grump!!

Why??

Well its pretty simple, all because of 1 simple, tiny little issue!

The inability of some people to say three little words “The Open Championship”

Three simple, basic words, which when put together spell out the greatest event in men’s golf.

Simple eh??

But no, rather that respect the oldest major in the world, yes the world, some people insist in putting the word British in front of it.

The Open Championship was first contested in 1860 in Prestwick, back then it was for a red leather belt, the Claret Jug was not awarded until 1873.

The Championship was not played outside Scotland until 1894 when it was played at Royal St Georges in Kent. Interestingly enough Royal St Georges to women is still the same now as it was in 1894! But I digress.

The only time the Open Championship has been held out with Scotland and England was in  1951 at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland. That’s ONCE in 152 years! Poor old Wales has never even held one! On those grounds alone that should rule out the “British” title!

So why add “British” to the most International and truly open of the Majors ?

12 nationalities have earned the title of “Champion Golfer”, compared to 8 at US Open, 9 US PGA and 10 at the Masters.

Now before I get the “why US Open or US PGA?” lines, the US PGA is run by the Professional Golfers Association of America, other countries have their own PGA events. To give the US Open its proper title is the United States Open Championship and is run by the USGA, the South Africans, Australians and many other countries have their Opens. It should also be noted that in Great Britain and Northern Ireland there are the Scottish, English, Irish and Welsh Opens!

The Open Championship is run by the R&A, not a British based PGA organisation, remember the R&A is the governing body of all golf outside of the United States and Mexico, world wide in other words.

It seems to be that the “British Open” is purely the creation of the American media and has simply filtered down to the American public.



So it is to America I say, ladies and gentlemen PLEASE, it’s the Open Championship.

We do not call the Masters the US Masters, we allow your NFL teams to declare themselves world champions after a Super Bowl, so lets be reciprocal.    

Let the oldest and greatest Championship in golf be known as it always has been and should always be known as “The Open Championship”