Location Belgium Tour(s) European Tour Final year 2000 | Established 1910 Format Stroke play | |
Aggregate 266 Lee Westwood (2000) | ||
The Belgian Open was a men's golf tournament which was played intermittently from 1910 to 2000. It was a European Tour event in 1978–79, 1987–94 and 1998–2000 and in the last two of these three periods it had several different sponsored names. In 2000 the prize fund was €1,019,266, which was below average for a European Tour event at that time.
The first ever Belgian Open 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.
The Royal Belgian Golf Federation continues to stage a "National Open" but it is a two-day event and is not aimed at elite international golfers.
Winners
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.