An open golf tournament usually refers to a golf tournament in which all golfers are eligible to play regardless of their professional or amateur status. Often there will be certain restrictions, commonly based on ability. Some amateur-only tournaments are also described as open, although by definition professional golfers are excluded.

History

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The descriptor open is used in a number of sports, and especially in golf, to describe a tournament that is "open" — in theory to all — rather than being closed, i.e. one that is restricted to a particular group.[1] Thus, an amateur tournament, e.g. the U.S. Amateur, is not by definition "open", because it is closed to professional golfers; however many are titled as such since they are open to all amateurs, e.g. the English Men's Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship for the Brabazon Trophy. The first precise usage of the adjective “open” in golf was in 1861 when the Prestwick Golf Club "opened" its Medal competition (launched the previous year for professionals only) to amateurs as well; ever since, The Open Championship has been open to all. Any golfer can, in theory, play in The Open either by invitation or by various forms of qualification. In practice, the event is a professional tournament in which a small number of the world’s leading amateurs also play, by invitation or qualification.[2]

Over time the descriptor "open" has been extended to include the premier national tournaments of many countries (starting with the U.S. Open in 1895) and also (mainly in the United States) to some other tournaments, e.g. the Buick Open.[2]

Principal national "Opens"

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This is a list of the national Opens that have featured on the principal tours.

Legend
  Currently played on the respective tour
  Formerly included on the respective tour

Men's tournaments

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National Opens
Tour MAJ PGAT EUR JPN ASA AFR ANZ KFT CHA ONE KOR PGATLA TLA EPT ALP PGT NGL CHN PGTI ATGT
North America
  Bahamas Open  
  Canadian Open  
  Costa Rica Open    
  Dominican Republic Open  
  Guatemala Open    
  Honduras Open  
  Mexican Open        
  Panama Open    
  Puerto Rico Open    
  U.S. Open  
Europe
  The Open Championship  
  Austrian Open    
  Belgian Open  
  Cyprus Open  
  Czech Open    
  Danish Open    
  Dutch Open  
  English Open  
  Finnish Open    
  French Open  
  German Open  
  Irish Open  
  Italian Open  
  Jersey Open  
  Luxembourg Open  
  Northern Ireland Open    
  Norwegian Open    
  Polish Open    
  Portuguese Open    
  Russian Open    
  Scottish Open    
  Slovenian Open    
  Spanish Open  
  Swiss Open    
  Turkish Open  
  Wales Open  
Asia
  Azerbaijan Open  
  Bangladesh Open    
  Brunei Open  
  Cambodian Open  
  China Open        
  Hong Kong Open    
  Indian Open      
  Indonesia Open      
  Japan Open  
  Jordan Open  
  Kazakhstan Open  
  Korea Open      
  Macau Open  
  Malaysian Open    
  Myanmar Open    
  Oman Open  
  Pakistan Open  
  Philippine Open    
  Saudi Open  
  Singapore Open        
  Taiwan Open  
  Thailand Open        
  Vietnam Open  
Oceania
  Australian Open      
  Guam Open  
  New Zealand Open        
  Papua New Guinea Open  
Africa
  Botswana Open  
  Egyptian Open  
  Ivory Coast Open  
  Kenya Open    
  Mauritius Open      
  Moroccan Open  
  Namibia Open  
  Nigerian Open  
  South African Open      
  Swaziland Open  
  Tunisian Open    
  Zambia Open    
  Zimbabwe Open    
South America
  Argentine Open        
  Brazil Open    
  Chile Open    
  Colombian Open    
  Ecuador Open  
  Peru Open      
  Venezuela Open    

Women's tournaments

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National Ladies Opens
Tour LPGA   LET   ALPG JLPGA KLPGA CLPGA LAGT   AFR  
North America
  U.S. Women's Open  
  Canadian Women's Open  
Europe
  Women's British Open    
  Austrian Ladies Open  
  Belgian Ladies Open  
  Czech Ladies Open  
  Danish Ladies Open  
  Dutch Ladies Open  
  Ladies English Open  
  Ladies French Open  
  Ladies German Open  
  Ladies Guernsey Open  
  Ladies Irish Open    
  Ladies Italian Open  
  Northern Ireland Ladies Open  
  Ladies Portuguese Open  
  Ladies Scottish Open    
  Ladies Slovak Open  
  Ladies Spanish Open  
  Ladies Swiss Open  
  Women's Welsh Open  
Asia
  Brunei Ladies Open    
  China Ladies Open    
  Hong Kong Ladies Open    
  Women's Indian Open    
  Indonesia Ladies Open[3]  
  Japan Women's Open  
  Korea Women's Open  
  Macau Ladies Open  
  Malaysia Ladies Open[3]  
  Philippines Ladies Open  
  Singapore Ladies Open[3]  
  Taiwan Ladies Open    
  Thailand Ladies Open    
Australasia
  Women's Australian Open      
  New Zealand Women's Open      
MENA
  Jordan Mixed Open  
  Qatar Ladies Open  
  Turkish Ladies Open  
Africa
  Kenya Ladies Open  
  South African Women's Open    
  Zambia Ladies Open  

References

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  1. ^ "Why Are Tennis Tournaments Called Open?". Tennispredict. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
  2. ^ a b "Is it the Open Championship or the British Open? It's really not that confusing…". Golf.com. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
  3. ^ a b c "Past Tournaments". Ladies Asian Golf Tour. Retrieved 6 July 2020.