Belgian Open (golf)
The Belgian Open is a men's golf tournament which has been played intermittently from 1910 to 2000. All editions since 1978 have been part of the European Tour. After not having been played since 2000, it returned in 2018 as the Belgian Knockout, hosted by PietersProductions, along with its co-founder, Belgian professional golfer Thomas Pieters. With a prize pool set at €1 million, 144 professional golfers start the competition with 36 holes of stroke play, followed by 9-hole match play for the top 64 finishers from the stroke play rounds.[1][2]
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Tournament information | |
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Location | ![]() |
Established | 1910 |
Course(s) | Rinkven International GC |
Tour(s) | European Tour |
Format | Stroke play and match play |
Prize fund | €1,000,000 |
Month played | May - June |
Tournament record score | |
Aggregate | 266 Lee Westwood (2000) |
Current champion | |
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![](../I/Belgium_relief_location_map.jpg.webp)
![](../I/Red_pog.svg.png.webp)
International GC
History
The first ever Belgian Open was played at the Royal Golf Club of Belgium, featuring 36 holes. It was not until 1928 that the competition format expanded to 72 holes. The first edition of the tournament was won by Arnaud Massy, the only Frenchman to win a major championship. Other distinguished champions included Walter Hagen, Henry Cotton, José María Olazábal, Nick Faldo and Lee Westwood. Belgium's most successful 20th century golfer, Flory Van Donck, won his home open five times between 1939 and 1956.
In 2018, PietersProductions took over the organisation of the Belgian Open. After an absence of 18 years, they brought the Belgian Open back to the European Tour. The Belgian Open was reintroduced under the name Belgian Knockout.
The first edition of the Belgian Knockout, which is the 53rd edition of the Belgian Open, took place from 17 to 20 May 2018 at Rinkven International Golf Club, Schilde, Antwerp. In the final, the Spaniard Adrián Otaegui won against Frenchman Benjamin Hébert after four match days. David Drysdale took third place after winning against James Heath.
Format from 2018
There are two rounds of stroke-play on the first two days. The top 64 and ties are credited with prize money and are declared to have advanced under Tour rules. However, in case of a tie for 64th place, there is a playoff if players are tied for 64th place to determine who advances to the knockout stages. Players eliminated in the playoff earn 65th place prize money and are credited with making the cut ("MDF").
In the knock-out stage there are six rounds, each match being over nine holes of stroke-play. Players are seeded based on their position after 36 holes. On the first day of knockout there are three rounds. Half the players use the front nine holes, the other half use the back nine. If the two players are tied after 9 holes there is a sudden-death playoff. There is also a 3rd/4th place playoff. Placings for those who didn't reach the semi-finals are decided firstly by the knockout round reached and, for those who lost in the same round, on their score in the opening 36 holes.
Two major changes will be implemented in 2019 for the event. In order to remove a potential advantage/disadvantage that may happen with some groups, the 144 players are now grouped in two sections of 72 players each. One section plays on the first morning and the second afternoon, the other on the first afternoon and second morning. The top 32 players qualify from each section, each section having a separate playoff if required. The second change applies to the first knockout round. The top 16 players will earn an advantage headed to the first knockout round. If their first-round match is tied after nine holes, they automatically advance.
Winners
- Stroke play and knockout (European Tour event 2018– )
Year | Winner | Country | Venue | Score | Margin of victory | Runner-up | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Belgian Knockout | |||||||
2019 | Guido Migliozzi | ![]() | Rinkven International GC | −3 | 4 strokes | ![]() | |
2018 | Adrián Otaegui | ![]() | Rinkven International GC | −3 | 2 strokes | ![]() |
- Stroke play (European Tour event 1978–2000)
Year | Winner | Country | Venue | Score | Margin of victory | Runner(s)-up | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Belgian Open | |||||||
2001–2017: No tournament | |||||||
Belgacom Open | |||||||
2000 | Lee Westwood | ![]() | Royal Zoute GC | 266 (−18) | 4 strokes | ![]() | |
1999 | Robert Karlsson | ![]() | Royal Zoute GC | 272 (−12) | 1 stroke | ![]() ![]() | |
1998 | Lee Westwood | ![]() | Royal Zoute GC | 268 (−16) | Playoff | ![]() | |
Belgian Open | |||||||
1995–1997: No tournament | |||||||
Alfred Dunhill Open | |||||||
1994 | Nick Faldo | ![]() | Royal Zoute GC | 279 (−5) | Playoff | ![]() | |
1993 | Darren Clarke | ![]() | Royal Zoute GC | 270 (−14) | 2 strokes | ![]() ![]() | |
Piaget Belgian Open | |||||||
1992 | Miguel Ángel Jiménez | ![]() | Royal Zoute GC | 274 (−10) | 3 strokes | ![]() | |
Renault Belgian Open | |||||||
1991 | Per-Ulrik Johansson | ![]() | Royal Waterloo GC | 276 (−12) | Playoff | ![]() | |
Peugeot-Trends Belgian Open | |||||||
1990 | Ove Sellberg | ![]() | Royal Waterloo GC | 272 (−16) | 4 strokes | ![]() | |
Volvo Belgian Open | |||||||
1989 | Gordon J. Brand | ![]() | Royal Waterloo GC | 273 (−11) | 4 strokes | ![]() | |
1988 | José María Olazábal | ![]() | Golf du Bercuit | 269 (−15) | 4 strokes | ![]() | |
1987 | Eamonn Darcy | ![]() | Royal Waterloo GC | 200 (−13) | 1 stroke | ![]() ![]() ![]() | |
Belgian Open | |||||||
1980–1986: No tournament | |||||||
1979 | Gavan Levenson | ![]() | Royal Waterloo GC | 279 (−5) | 3 strokes | ![]() ![]() ![]() | |
1978 | Noel Ratcliffe | ![]() | Royal Golf Club of Belgium | 280 (−12) | 1 stroke | ![]() |
- Pre-European Tour (1910–1958)
Year | Winner | Country | Venue | Score | Margin of Victory | Runner(s)-up | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1959–1977: No tournament | |||||||
1958 | Ken Bousfield | ![]() | Royal Golf Club of Belgium | 271 | 3 strokes | ![]() | [3] |
1957 | Bernard Hunt | ![]() | Royal Latem GC | 280 | Playoff (36 holes) | ![]() | [4] |
1956 | Flory Van Donck | ![]() | Royal Latem GC | 269 | 8 strokes | ![]() | [5] |
1955 | Dave Thomas | ![]() | Royal Golf Club des Fagnes | 290 | 1 stroke | ![]() | [6] |
1954 | Dai Rees | ![]() | Royal Antwerp GC | 287 | 1 stroke | ![]() ![]() | [7] |
1953 | Flory Van Donck | ![]() | Royal Waterloo GC | 270 | 9 strokes | ![]() | [8] |
1952 | Antonio Cerdá | ![]() | Royal Golf Club des Fagnes | 286 | 4 strokes | ![]() | [9] |
1951 | Albert Pélissier | ![]() | Royal Latem GC | 279 | 5 strokes | ![]() ![]() | [10] |
1950 | Roberto De Vicenzo | ![]() | Royal Zoute GC | 282 | 4 strokes | ![]() | [11] |
1949 | Jimmy Adams | ![]() | Royal Golf Club des Fagnes | 283 | 2 strokes | ![]() | [12] |
1948 | Willie Forrester | ![]() | Royal Golf Club of Belgium | 288 | |||
1947 | Flory Van Donck | ![]() | Royal Golf Club des Fagnes | 283 | |||
1946 | Flory Van Donck | ![]() | Royal Waterloo GC | 289 | 4 strokes | ![]() | |
1940–1945: No tournament due to World War II | |||||||
1939 | Flory Van Donck | ![]() | Royal Golf Club of Belgium | 291 | 1 stroke | ![]() | [13] |
1938 | Henry Cotton | ![]() | Royal Waterloo GC | 277 | 13 strokes | ![]() | [14] |
1937 | Marcel Dallemagne | ![]() | Royal Zoute GC | 285 | 4 strokes | ![]() | [15] |
1936 | Auguste Boyer | ![]() | Royal Golf Club des Fagnes | 285 | 1 stroke | ![]() | [16] |
1935 | Bill Branch | ![]() | Royal Golf Club of Belgium | 283 | Playoff (36 holes) | ![]() | [17] |
1934 | Henry Cotton | ![]() | Royal Waterloo GC | 279 | 3 strokes | ![]() | [18] |
1933 | Auguste Boyer | ![]() | Royal Golf Club des Fagnes | 282 | 3 strokes | ![]() | [19] |
1932 | Arthur Lacey | ![]() | Royal Golf Club of Belgium | 291 | 2 strokes | ![]() | [20] |
1931 | Arthur Lacey | ![]() | Royal Golf Club des Fagnes | 301 | 1 stroke | ![]() ![]() | [21] |
1930 | Henry Cotton | ![]() | Royal Golf Club of Belgium | 281 | 11 strokes | ![]() | [22] |
1929 | Sid Brews | ![]() | Royal Antwerp GC | 300 | 1 stroke | ![]() | [23] |
1928 | Albert Tingey Jr. | ![]() | Royal Golf Club of Belgium | 297 | 3 strokes | ![]() | [24] |
1927 | Marcel Dallemagne | ![]() | Royal Zoute GC | 140 | |||
1926 | Aubrey Boomer | ![]() | Royal Zoute GC | 137 | 9 strokes | ![]() | [25] |
1925 | Eugène Lafitte | ![]() | Royal Antwerp GC | 142 | 1 stroke | ![]() | [26] |
1924 | Walter Hagen | ![]() | Royal Zoute GC | 143 | 3 strokes | ![]() | |
1923 | Percy Boomer | ![]() | Royal Golf Club of Belgium | 143 | |||
1922 | Aubrey Boomer | ![]() | Royal Golf Club of Belgium | 150 | 1 stroke | ![]() ![]() | [27] |
1921 | Eugène Lafitte | ![]() | Royal Golf Club of Belgium | 145 | 10 strokes | ![]() | |
1920 | Rowland Jones | ![]() | Royal Zoute GC | 154 | Playoff | ![]() ![]() | [28] |
1915–1919: No tournament due to World War I | |||||||
1914 | Tom Ball | ![]() | Royal Antwerp GC | 144 | 4 strokes | ![]() | [29] |
1913 | Tom Ball | ![]() | Lombardsijde GC | 145 | 1 stroke | ![]() | [30] |
1912 | George Duncan | ![]() | Royal Golf Club of Belgium | 144 | Playoff | ![]() ![]() | [31] |
1911 | Charles Mayo | ![]() | Royal Golf Club of Belgium | 144 | 3 strokes | ![]() | [32] |
1910 | Arnaud Massy | ![]() | Royal Golf Club of Belgium | 139 | 5 strokes | ![]() ![]() | [33] |
In 1957 Hunt (137) beat Rees (145) by 8 strokes in a 36-hole playoff. In 1935 Branch (145) beat Van Donck (149) by 4 strokes in a 36-hole playoff. In 1912 Duncan (70) beat Ray (71) and Ball (78) in an 18-hole playoff, played the same evening.
References
- "Thomas Pieters to host Belgian Knockout in 2018". European Tour. 25 September 2017.
- "Belgian Knockout Tournament History". European Tour. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
- "Belgian Open title for Bousfield". The Times. 11 July 1958. p. 4.
- "Rees and Hunt tie for first place". The Times. 27 May 1957. p. 3.
- "Belgian Open". The Times. 11 June 1956. p. 3.
- "British golf win". The Glasgow Herald. 13 August 1955. p. 2.
- "Belgian Open golf title for Rees". The Times. 19 July 1954. p. 3.
- "Belgian Open championship". The Times. 12 August 1953. p. 9.
- "Belgian Open championship". The Times. 11 August 1952. p. 4.
- "British open golf championship". The Glasgow Herald. 7 August 1951. p. 2.
- "Ostend, July 24". The Times. 25 July 1950. p. 7.
- "Adams wins in Belgian". The Times. 15 August 1949. p. 6.
- "The Belgian Open championship". The Times. 12 August 1939. p. 4.
- "Cotton wins Belgian "Open"". The Glasgow Herald. 14 July 1938. p. 2.
- "Belgian Open title for Dellamagne". The Glasgow Herald. 23 July 1937. p. 4.
- "The Belgian Open championship". The Times. 11 August 1936. p. 6.
- "Belgian Open championship". The Times. 9 July 1935. p. 7.
- "Cotton wins the Belgian Open". The Glasgow Herald. 15 August 1934. p. 7.
- "Boyer wins Belgian Open championship". The Times. 9 August 1933. p. 5.
- "Lacey wins Belgian championship". The Times. 20 June 1932. p. 6.
- "Belgian Open championship". The Times. 22 July 1931. p. 6.
- "Belgian championship". The Times. 30 June 1930. p. 4.
- "Belgian Open championship". The Times. 1 June 1929. p. 5.
- "Belgian championship". The Times. 19 June 1928. p. 7.
- "Belgian Open golf championship". The Times. 14 July 1926. p. 6.
- "Belgian Open golf championship". The Times. 5 October 1925. p. 16.
- "Golf - Belgian open championship". The Times. 3 July 1922. p. 19.
- "Golf - Belgian professional championship". The Times. 14 July 1920. p. 6.
- "Belgian Open golf championship - Tom Ball's victory". The Times. 13 July 1914. p. 13.
- "Belgian Open championship - Victory of Tom Ball". The Times. 18 October 1913. p. 13.
- "Open championship of Belgium - Victory of Duncan". The Times. 6 July 1912. p. 13.
- "Belgian Open championship - Victory of C.H. Mayo". The Times. 1 June 1911. p. 14.
- "Open championship of Belgium - Victory of Arnaud Massy". The Times. 3 June 1910. p. 18.