An open golf tournament usually refers to a golf tournament in which all golfers may compete 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 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. 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.
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.
Principal national "Opens" 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
National OpensTour MAJ PGAT EUR JPN ASA AFR ANZ KFT CHA ONE KOR PGATLA TLA EPT ALP PGT NGL CHN PGTI ATGTNorth 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 Fiji Open Guam Open New Zealand Open Papua New Guinea Open Tahiti Open Africa Botswana Open Egyptian Open Ivory Coast Open Kenya Open Mauritius Open Moroccan Open Namibia Open Nigerian Open Rwanda 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 Women's National OpensTour LPGA LET WPGA JLPGA KLPGA CLPGA LAGT AFR LETASNorth America U.S. Women's Open Canadian Women's Open British Isles Women's British Open Women's English Open Women's Irish Open Ladies Guernsey Open Northern Ireland Ladies Open Women's Scottish Open Women's Welsh Open Europe Austrian Ladies Open Belgian Ladies Open Czech Ladies Open Danish Ladies Open Dutch Ladies Open Ladies Finnish Open Ladies French Open Ladies German Open Ladies Italian Open Ladies Norwegian Open Ladies Open of Portugal Ladies Slovak Open Slovenian Ladies Open Ladies Spanish Open Women's Swedish Open Ladies Swiss Open Asia Brunei Ladies Open Women's China Open Hong Kong Ladies Open Women's Indian Open Indonesia Women's Open Japan Women's Open Korea Women's Open Macau Ladies Open Malaysia Ladies Open Philippines Ladies Open Singapore Ladies Open 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
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