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Dear Americans: The Open Championship is not called “The British”

Clarkwin — Tue, 11 Jul 2023 04:00:59 +0000

Jerry Cooke/Sports Illustrated/Getty Images

American Friends — “the winner of the gold medal and the Champion Golfer of the Year is . . . ”

These are the words used by the chief executive of the R&A to introduce the new Open Champion each July, just before the Claret Jug is presented. The winner of “The Open” is so declared!

Strange as this may seem, both history and logic explain what many Americans may feel is a quaint, even archaic, idiosyncratic and . . . er, British ritual. But please don’t call our championship “the British Open” or worse still, “the British” because it’s just plain wrong. Why? Let’s start at the beginning.

First, the words engraved on the outer lip of the Claret Jug simply read: “The Golf Champion Trophy.” Hence the winner, as the recipient of that trophy, is announced as the “Champion Golfer”.

Second, let’s remember that the first playing of the championship in 1860 was 35 years before the first US Open, 56 years before the first PGA Championship and 74 years before the first Masters Tournament. The expression “major” in its current meaning had not been minted, and so in 1860, the competition for the original “challenge belt” was the only championship around and was known simply as “the Championship.” The next year, organisers declared that the event should “be open to the whole world,” but not until 1872 — when the Claret Jug replaced the belt given to Young Tom Morris for his three straight wins — did the Royal and Ancient first make a reference to “the Open Championship”.

The expression “British Open” is not historically, geographically or politically accurate. You see, “British” just means “relating to Great Britain,” but Great Britain is a grand name we invented for a small island (comprising England, Scotland and Wales) in the North Atlantic Ocean, off the northwest coast of mainland Europe. Northern Ireland (which has hosted two great Opens and is due another in 2025) is part of the island of Ireland, and although NI is part of the United Kingdom, it is actually not part of Great Britain. By referring to our championship as the “British Open,” the contribution of Northern Ireland is inadvertently obliterated. Please do not be tempted to call it “the UK Open!” If there is an analogy, think about implying Alaska or Hawaii are not part of the United States. That wouldn’t be polite!

However subtle this may all seem, golf fans in Great Britain and Northern Ireland remain mystified as to why some Americans insist on incorrectly name-checking The Open as the “British Open” or even “the British.” Neither the owners of the Claret Jug (the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews) nor the R&A (which now runs the championship) have ever called it by either name.

Consider this: No true golf fan would ever consider referring to “the American Open” or “the US Masters” (worse still, the “Masters Championship”) or even the “American PGA Championship,” as each of these great majors has another relatable but distinctively different name by which it is properly known. Why does the same not apply to the oldest major of them all?

Prestwick Golf Club, as the originally dominant venue, hosted the first 12 Opens, but a good starting point around the styling of the Open is 1919 when a meeting of the Associated Clubs then involved in staging the Championship concluded that the “Royal and Ancient Golf Club be asked to accept the management of the Championship and the custody of the Challenge Cup”.

Sarah Fabian-Baddiel/Heritage Images/Getty Images

By March 1920, the newly formed Royal and Ancient Championship Committee met to lay out the conditions for “the Competition for the Championship Challenge Trophy,” and in other parts of the minutes of that meeting, reference was made to “the Championship” and “the Open Championship.”

Clearly in the minds of the leaders of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club, the event, which they now owned, was the “Open Championship.” It was not, never had been (and never would be) “the British Open”, a title neither contemplated nor even mentioned.

By 1927, the official programme designated the event as the “Open Golf Championship.” By 1933, it was “The Open Championship,” and a post-championship booklet in 1946 was simply entitled “Open Reflections.” (Interestingly, there were 28 entries from overseas, including 10 from the United States, one of whom, Sam Snead, prevailed over the Old Course in his only appearance.) In the post-Second World War years, the field gradually became more international, and perhaps this contributed to Americans using “British” to differentiate the championship from their own. Of course, no one did more for the Open than Arnold Palmer, who, to secure his place in the pantheon of the greats, gave it special attention from the era beginning in 1960. As one of only four Americans in the field, he was just beaten into second place by the Centenary Open Champion, Australian Kel Nagle, before winning the next two Opens himself.

Not only did this spark more interest in the Open from other US professionals with international aspirations, it raised the profile and cemented the reputation of the Open as, well, more “open” at a time when securing entry to the US Open was not as easy for non-American players as it is today. In the 40 years to 2000, more than twice as many nations are represented in the list of Open winners than in the list of US Open winners. Even allowing for American strength in depth of field, that statistic is significant.

Around the time of the 1966 Open — the first to be televised live in the United States — the Royal and Ancient Golf Club asked Mark McCormack to negotiate its TV rights, which within 10 years would include Japan. He understood the commercial potential for registering the Open Championship name and negotiated a worldwide agency of a trademark using — for the first time — the expression “British Open” for use in some limited overseas markets. However, the realisation that such a name might suit overseas TV but not the United Kingdom was emphatic. Successive championship committees have been resolute in keeping faith with the original brand, even when some great American winners did not. Contrastingly, golfers in Great Britain and Northern Ireland have always correctly referred to their championship as “the Open.”

It’s true that the name on the cover of printed souvenir programmes has changed over the years. It moved from “The Open Golf Championship” to “The Open Championship” in 1995, before arriving at “The Open” in 2003. But misnamings by recent Champion Golfers, including Collin Morikawa (2021) and Cameron Smith (2022), have ensured the discussion continues.

In not one minute of any relevant committee meeting of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club, nor its successor as organiser, the R&A, does the adjective “British” ever appear when describing the championship.

So come on, Americans. We will always name your three majors properly and respectfully. In exchange, all we ask is the same for our Open, the Open. We may once have invaded your country, but you eventually repelled us and rightly so. Surely we all have got over that spot of local difficulty? Just remember that our nation invented golf, and we shared it with you. That must mean something!

Ian Pattinson is a former chairman of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews and the R&A.

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2019 Open Champion winner Shane Lowry amongst latest stars added to Dubai Desert Classic

Golf Digest Middle East — Wed, 07 Dec 2022 10:06:03 +0000

By GolfDigestME.com
The Dubai Desert Classic has today announced that 2019 Open Champion Shane Lowry, along with fellow DP World Tour stars Tommy Fleetwood, Ryan Fox and Tyrrell Hatton, will compete in January’s Rolex Series event; joining previously announced World No. 1 Rory McIlroy.

Irishman Lowry’s career highlight so far came when he lifted the Claret Jug at Royal Portrush, winning by an impressive six strokes. A four-time winner on the DP World Tour, and twice on the PGA TOUR, Lowry secured his second Rolex Series title at the BMW PGA Championship in September, in a season that also included a top three finish at The Masters.

On the prospect of teeing off at Emirates Golf Club from 26th to 29th January – as he aims to add more silverware in the UAE following his 2019 Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship title – Lowry said: “I always enjoy going to Dubai and I am delighted to be returning to Emirates Golf Club for the Dubai Desert Classic in January.

“I’ve had success in the UAE in the past, and it would be great to add my name to the impressive list of players who have lifted this trophy.”

Fleetwood ended the 2022 season in style, securing his sixth DP World Tour title when he successfully defended his Nedbank Golf Challenge title in November. The former European Number One has also tasted success in the UAE with two wins in Abu Dhabi, and was runner-up to Ryder Cup team-mate and fellow fan favourite Lowry at the 2019 Open. It is his joint best Major outing to date, having also finished second at the U.S. Open the previous year.

New Zealand’s Fox has had a stunning 2022, finishing second behind McIlroy in the season-long DP World Tour Rankings after winning the Ras Al Khaimah Classic in February and the prestigious Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in October. With a further eight top tens throughout the season, including a narrow playoff loss at the Dutch Open, the Kiwi, will be looking to take that impressive form into 2023 and his appearance in Dubai.

Englishman Hatton is another tournament addition with considerable pedigree, who has experienced recent success in the region following his 2021 triumph in Abu Dhabi. The two-time Ryder Cup star has six DP World Tour victories to his name, including four Rolex Series titles. After a runner-up finish at the season-ending DP World Tour Championship, he will be aiming to carry on that form when he returns to Dubai in January.

The four will join two-time winner of the Dubai Desert Classic, four-time Major winner and current World Number 1 McIlroy, who has already confirmed his participation.

Simon Corkill, Executive Tournament Director of Dubai Desert Classic, said: “The latest player announcement shows the strength of the Dubai Desert Classic and its ability to attract the very best players in the world. Over the years we have been proud to assemble stellar line-ups for fans to enjoy some scintillating golfing action – and the 2023 edition will be no exception.”

“To add the 2019 Open Champion Shane Lowry, Tommy Fleetwood and Tyrrell Hatton to the field guarantees that we have a world class field. Ryan Fox will come to us on the back of a brilliant 2022, his best career year to date and will be another excellent addition to our line-up.” added Corkill.

The Dubai Desert Classic is renowned as a family-friendly event, packed full of great entertainment for all ages to enjoy.

Among the new additions to next year’s entertainment is a dedicated Kids’ Day on Friday after school and a Picnic Package across all four days of the tournament, with more details to be released soon.

People can now register to claim their free general admission tickets by visiting dubaidesertclassic.com. Hospitality tickets for the Dallah Lounge terraces can also be purchased for all four days of the tournament.

Organisers are also encouraging fans to use the Metro service to travel to and from the tournament, with Al Khail station located directly outside the club’s main entrance.

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