USA Today via Reuters
May 27, 2021; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; Phil Mickelson on the 14th tee during the first round of the Charles Schwab Challenge golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Erich Schlegel-USA TODAY Sports/Reuters
USA Today via Reuters
May 27, 2021; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; Phil Mickelson on the 14th tee during the first round of the Charles Schwab Challenge golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Erich Schlegel-USA TODAY Sports/Reuters
The 2021 Open Championship is just a few days away. And as usual, the debate about the exact name of the tournament has started. This has become a regular affair now, and there is no end to this anytime soon. Phil Mickelson recently made a tweet regarding this debate and gave his point of view about this never-ending topic.
The official name of the tournament is “The Open”. But the Americans like to call it The British Open since there is the U.S. Open also. Calling it The Open might create confusion between the two. But mostly, for others than the Americans, it has always been The Open.
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Is it British Open or The Open? Phil Mickelson has an answer
via Reuters
Golf – The Masters – Augusta National Golf Club – Augusta, Georgia, U.S. – April 11, 2021 Phil Mickelson of the U.S. reacts after missing a birdie putt on the 2nd hole during the final round REUTERS/Mike Segar
Phil Mickelson made a tweet that said. “Every year I come over here, there’s a debate on if it’s the Open or British Open. The Earl of Airlie referred to it as the British Open when awarding Bobby Jones the Claret Jug in 1930 at Hoylake. Both are acceptable.”
Every year I come over here, there’s a debate on if it’s the Open or British Open. The Earl of Airlie referred to it as the British Open when awarding Bobby Jones the Claret Jug in 1930 at Hoylake. Both are acceptable 😎
— Phil Mickelson (@PhilMickelson) July 13, 2021
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The former Open Champion tried to remain neutral in his stance on this debate and concluded that both the names The Open and The British Open are acceptable. However, when it was first played in 1860, it was referred to as “Open” since there were no other significant tournaments in professional golf.
But 35 years later, a tournament open to anyone who had a serious game but played only in the U.S. was logically called The U.S. Open Championship. And since then, there has been this never-ending debate going around about the name of the Open. Fans in the U.S. refer to The Open as British Open since they think calling it The Open might create confusion between The U.S. Open and British Open.
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But for most of the fans around the world, especially for the Britishers, it is and will always remain “The Open”, the original major tournament in golf. Meanwhile, the final major championship of the year is all set to begin on July 15 at the Royal St. George’s in Sandwich, Kent, England.
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