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]

Belgian Knockout

Tournament information
Location	Belgium
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
Guido Migliozzi

Rinkven
International GC

Location in Belgium

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	Italy	Rinkven International GC	−3	4 strokes	Darius van Driel
2018	Adrián Otaegui	Spain	Rinkven International GC	−3	2 strokes	Benjamin Hébert

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	England	Royal Zoute GC	266 (−18)	4 strokes	Eduardo Romero
1999	Robert Karlsson	Sweden	Royal Zoute GC	272 (−12)	1 stroke	Retief Goosen Jamie Spence
1998	Lee Westwood	England	Royal Zoute GC	268 (−16)	Playoff	Freddie Jacobson
Belgian Open
1995–1997: No tournament
Alfred Dunhill Open
1994	Nick Faldo	England	Royal Zoute GC	279 (−5)	Playoff	Joakim Haeggman
1993	Darren Clarke	Northern Ireland	Royal Zoute GC	270 (−14)	2 strokes	Nick Faldo Vijay Singh
Piaget Belgian Open
1992	Miguel Ángel Jiménez	Spain	Royal Zoute GC	274 (−10)	3 strokes	Barry Lane
Renault Belgian Open
1991	Per-Ulrik Johansson	Sweden	Royal Waterloo GC	276 (−12)	Playoff	Paul Broadhurst
Peugeot-Trends Belgian Open
1990	Ove Sellberg	Sweden	Royal Waterloo GC	272 (−16)	4 strokes	Ian Woosnam
Volvo Belgian Open
1989	Gordon J. Brand	England	Royal Waterloo GC	273 (−11)	4 strokes	Kevin Dickens
1988	José María Olazábal	Spain	Golf du Bercuit	269 (−15)	4 strokes	Mike Smith
1987	Eamonn Darcy	Ireland	Royal Waterloo GC	200 (−13)	1 stroke	Nick Faldo Ronan Rafferty Ian Woosnam
Belgian Open
1980–1986: No tournament
1979	Gavan Levenson	South Africa	Royal Waterloo GC	279 (−5)	3 strokes	Bobby Cole Nick Faldo Michael King
1978	Noel Ratcliffe	Australia	Royal Golf Club of Belgium	280 (−12)	1 stroke	Chris Tickner

Pre-European Tour (1910–1958)

Year	Winner	Country	Venue	Score	Margin of Victory	Runner(s)-up	Ref
1959–1977: No tournament
1958	Ken Bousfield	England	Royal Golf Club of Belgium	271	3 strokes	Antonio Cerdá	[3]
1957	Bernard Hunt	England	Royal Latem GC	280	Playoff (36 holes)	Dai Rees	[4]
1956	Flory Van Donck	Belgium	Royal Latem GC	269	8 strokes	Ángel Miguel	[5]
1955	Dave Thomas	Wales	Royal Golf Club des Fagnes	290	1 stroke	Arthur Devulder	[6]
1954	Dai Rees	Wales	Royal Antwerp GC	287	1 stroke	Aldo Casera Norman Von Nida	[7]
1953	Flory Van Donck	Belgium	Royal Waterloo GC	270	9 strokes	Henri de Lamaze (a)	[8]
1952	Antonio Cerdá	Argentina	Royal Golf Club des Fagnes	286	4 strokes	Brian Wilkes	[9]
1951	Albert Pélissier	France	Royal Latem GC	279	5 strokes	Flory Van Donck Hassan Hassanein	[10]
1950	Roberto De Vicenzo	Argentina	Royal Zoute GC	282	4 strokes	Antonio Cerdá	[11]
1949	Jimmy Adams	Scotland	Royal Golf Club des Fagnes	283	2 strokes	Max Faulkner	[12]
1948	Willie Forrester	Scotland	Royal Golf Club of Belgium	288
1947	Flory Van Donck	Belgium	Royal Golf Club des Fagnes	283
1946	Flory Van Donck	Belgium	Royal Waterloo GC	289	4 strokes	Willie Forrester
1940–1945: No tournament due to World War II
1939	Flory Van Donck	Belgium	Royal Golf Club of Belgium	291	1 stroke	Max Faulkner	[13]
1938	Henry Cotton	England	Royal Waterloo GC	277	13 strokes	Arthur Lacey	[14]
1937	Marcel Dallemagne	France	Royal Zoute GC	285	4 strokes	Dai Rees	[15]
1936	Auguste Boyer	France	Royal Golf Club des Fagnes	285	1 stroke	Henry Cotton	[16]
1935	Bill Branch	England	Royal Golf Club of Belgium	283	Playoff (36 holes)	Flory Van Donck	[17]
1934	Henry Cotton	England	Royal Waterloo GC	279	3 strokes	Percy Alliss	[18]
1933	Auguste Boyer	France	Royal Golf Club des Fagnes	282	3 strokes	Henry Cotton	[19]
1932	Arthur Lacey	England	Royal Golf Club of Belgium	291	2 strokes	Auguste Boyer	[20]
1931	Arthur Lacey	England	Royal Golf Club des Fagnes	301	1 stroke	Marcel Dallemagne Pierre Hirogoyen	[21]
1930	Henry Cotton	England	Royal Golf Club of Belgium	281	11 strokes	Archie Compston	[22]
1929	Sid Brews	South Africa	Royal Antwerp GC	300	1 stroke	Aubrey Boomer	[23]
1928	Albert Tingey Jr.	England	Royal Golf Club of Belgium	297	3 strokes	Jack Taylor	[24]
1927	Marcel Dallemagne	France	Royal Zoute GC	140
1926	Aubrey Boomer	Jersey	Royal Zoute GC	137	9 strokes	Percy Boomer	[25]
1925	Eugène Lafitte	France	Royal Antwerp GC	142	1 stroke	Arthur Havers	[26]
1924	Walter Hagen	United States	Royal Zoute GC	143	3 strokes	Aubrey Boomer
1923	Percy Boomer	Jersey	Royal Golf Club of Belgium	143
1922	Aubrey Boomer	Jersey	Royal Golf Club of Belgium	150	1 stroke	Charles Corlett Marius Cavallo	[27]
1921	Eugène Lafitte	France	Royal Golf Club of Belgium	145	10 strokes	George Pannell
1920	Rowland Jones	England	Royal Zoute GC	154	Playoff	Aubrey Boomer Henry Burrows	[28]
1915–1919: No tournament due to World War I
1914	Tom Ball	England	Royal Antwerp GC	144	4 strokes	Charles Mayo	[29]
1913	Tom Ball	England	Lombardsijde GC	145	1 stroke	James Braid	[30]
1912	George Duncan	Scotland	Royal Golf Club of Belgium	144	Playoff	Tom Ball Ted Ray	[31]
1911	Charles Mayo	England	Royal Golf Club of Belgium	144	3 strokes	Arnaud Massy	[32]
1910	Arnaud Massy	France	Royal Golf Club of Belgium	139	5 strokes	Sandy Herd Harry Vardon	[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

1. "Thomas Pieters to host Belgian Knockout in 2018". European Tour. 25 September 2017.
2. "Belgian Knockout Tournament History". European Tour. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
3. "Belgian Open title for Bousfield". The Times. 11 July 1958. p. 4.
4. "Rees and Hunt tie for first place". The Times. 27 May 1957. p. 3.
5. "Belgian Open". The Times. 11 June 1956. p. 3.
6. "British golf win". The Glasgow Herald. 13 August 1955. p. 2.
7. "Belgian Open golf title for Rees". The Times. 19 July 1954. p. 3.
8. "Belgian Open championship". The Times. 12 August 1953. p. 9.
9. "Belgian Open championship". The Times. 11 August 1952. p. 4.
10. "British open golf championship". The Glasgow Herald. 7 August 1951. p. 2.
11. "Ostend, July 24". The Times. 25 July 1950. p. 7.
12. "Adams wins in Belgian". The Times. 15 August 1949. p. 6.
13. "The Belgian Open championship". The Times. 12 August 1939. p. 4.
14. "Cotton wins Belgian "Open"". The Glasgow Herald. 14 July 1938. p. 2.
15. "Belgian Open title for Dellamagne". The Glasgow Herald. 23 July 1937. p. 4.
16. "The Belgian Open championship". The Times. 11 August 1936. p. 6.
17. "Belgian Open championship". The Times. 9 July 1935. p. 7.
18. "Cotton wins the Belgian Open". The Glasgow Herald. 15 August 1934. p. 7.
19. "Boyer wins Belgian Open championship". The Times. 9 August 1933. p. 5.
20. "Lacey wins Belgian championship". The Times. 20 June 1932. p. 6.
21. "Belgian Open championship". The Times. 22 July 1931. p. 6.
22. "Belgian championship". The Times. 30 June 1930. p. 4.
23. "Belgian Open championship". The Times. 1 June 1929. p. 5.
24. "Belgian championship". The Times. 19 June 1928. p. 7.
25. "Belgian Open golf championship". The Times. 14 July 1926. p. 6.
26. "Belgian Open golf championship". The Times. 5 October 1925. p. 16.
27. "Golf - Belgian open championship". The Times. 3 July 1922. p. 19.
28. "Golf - Belgian professional championship". The Times. 14 July 1920. p. 6.
29. "Belgian Open golf championship - Tom Ball's victory". The Times. 13 July 1914. p. 13.
30. "Belgian Open championship - Victory of Tom Ball". The Times. 18 October 1913. p. 13.
31. "Open championship of Belgium - Victory of Duncan". The Times. 6 July 1912. p. 13.
32. "Belgian Open championship - Victory of C.H. Mayo". The Times. 1 June 1911. p. 14.
33. "Open championship of Belgium - Victory of Arnaud Massy". The Times. 3 June 1910. p. 18.

External links

• Coverage on the European Tour's official site
• List of winners from 1910 to 1999 from golftoday.co.uk