Belgian Open (golf)

Soudal Open
Tournament information
LocationAntwerp, Belgium
Established1910
Course(s)Rinkven International Golf Club
Par71
Length6,924 yards (6,331 m)
Tour(s)European Tour
FormatStroke play
Prize fundUS$2,500,000
Month playedMay
Tournament record score
Aggregate266 Lee Westwood (2000)
266 Nacho Elvira (2024)
To par−18 as above
Current champion
Kristoffer Reitan
Location map
Rinkven International GC
Location in Belgium

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]

After two years of no European Tour international tournament, the Soudal Open came in 2022. Soudal partnered with Rinkven and once again put on a top international event.

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 was 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.

In 2021, it was announced that the tournament would make a return in 2022 and would revert to a stroke play event. It was sponsored by Soudal, and renamed as the Soudal Open.[3]

Format in 2018 and 2019

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.[4]

Winners

Year Winner Score To par Margin of
victory		 Runner(s)-up Venue Ref.
Soudal Open
2025 Kristoffer Reitan 271 −13 Playoff Ewen Ferguson
Darius van Driel		 Rinkven International
2024 Nacho Elvira 266 −18 1 stroke Romain Langasque
Niklas Nørgaard
Thomas Pieters		 Rinkven International
2023 Simon Forsström 267 −17 1 stroke Jens Dantorp Rinkven International
2022 Sam Horsfield 271 −13 2 strokes Ryan Fox
Yannik Paul		 Rinkven International
2020–21: No tournament
Belgian Knockout
2019 Guido Migliozzi −3[a] 4 strokes Darius van Driel Rinkven International
2018 Adrián Otaegui −3[a] 2 strokes Benjamin Hébert Rinkven International
2001–2017: No tournament
Belgacom Open
2000 Lee Westwood (2) 266 −18 4 strokes Eduardo Romero Royal Zoute
1999 Robert Karlsson 272 −12 1 stroke Retief Goosen
Jamie Spence		 Royal Zoute
1998 Lee Westwood 268 −16 Playoff Freddie Jacobson Royal Zoute
1995–1997: No tournament
Alfred Dunhill Open
1994 Nick Faldo 279 −5 Playoff Joakim Haeggman Royal Zoute
1993 Darren Clarke 270 −14 2 strokes Nick Faldo
Vijay Singh		 Royal Zoute
Piaget Belgian Open
1992 Miguel Ángel Jiménez 274 −10 3 strokes Barry Lane Royal Zoute
Renault Belgian Open
1991 Per-Ulrik Johansson 276 −12 Playoff Paul Broadhurst Royal Waterloo
Peugeot-Trends Belgian Open
1990 Ove Sellberg 272 −16 4 strokes Ian Woosnam Royal Waterloo
Volvo Belgian Open
1989 Gordon J. Brand 273 −11 4 strokes Kevin Dickens Royal Waterloo
1988 José María Olazábal 269 −15 4 strokes Mike Smith Royal Bercuit
1987 Eamonn Darcy 200[b] −13 1 stroke Nick Faldo
Ronan Rafferty
Ian Woosnam		 Royal Waterloo
Belgian Open
1980–1986: No tournament
1979 Gavan Levenson 279 −5 3 strokes Bobby Cole
Nick Faldo
Michael King		 Royal Waterloo
1978 Noel Ratcliffe 280 −12 1 stroke Chris Tickner Royal GC Belgium
1959–1977: No tournament
1958 Ken Bousfield 271 3 strokes Antonio Cerdá Royal GC Belgium [5]
1957 Bernard Hunt 280 Playoff Dai Rees Royal Latem [6]
1956 Flory Van Donck (5) 269 8 strokes Ángel Miguel Royal Latem [7]
1955 Dave Thomas 290 1 stroke Arthur Devulder Royal GC des Fagnes [8]
1954 Dai Rees 287 1 stroke Aldo Casera
Norman Von Nida		 Royal Antwerp [9]
1953 Flory Van Donck (4) 270 9 strokes Henri de Lamaze (a) Royal Waterloo [10]
1952 Antonio Cerdá 286 4 strokes Brian Wilkes Royal GC des Fagnes [11]
1951 Albert Pélissier 279 5 strokes Flory Van Donck
Hassan Hassanein		 Royal Latem [12]
1950 Roberto De Vicenzo 282 4 strokes Antonio Cerdá Royal Zoute [13]
1949 Jimmy Adams 283 2 strokes Max Faulkner Royal GC des Fagnes [14]
1948 Willie Forrester 288 Royal GC Belgium
1947 Flory Van Donck (3) 283 Royal GC des Fagnes
1946 Flory Van Donck (2) 289 4 strokes Willie Forrester Royal Waterloo
1940–1945: No tournament due to World War II
1939 Flory Van Donck 291 1 stroke Max Faulkner Royal GC Belgium [15]
1938 Henry Cotton (3) 277 13 strokes Arthur Lacey Royal Waterloo [16]
1937 Marcel Dallemagne (2) 285 4 strokes Dai Rees Royal Zoute [17]
1936 Auguste Boyer (2) 285 1 stroke Henry Cotton Royal GC des Fagnes [18]
1935 Bill Branch 283 Playoff Flory Van Donck Royal GC Belgium [19]
1934 Henry Cotton (2) 279 3 strokes Percy Alliss Royal Waterloo [20]
1933 Auguste Boyer 282 3 strokes Henry Cotton Royal GC des Fagnes [21]
1932 Arthur Lacey (2) 291 2 strokes Auguste Boyer Royal GC Belgium [22]
1931 Arthur Lacey 301 1 stroke Marcel Dallemagne
Pierre Hirogoyen		 Royal GC des Fagnes [23]
1930 Henry Cotton 281 11 strokes Archie Compston Royal GC Belgium [24]
1929 Sid Brews 300 1 stroke Aubrey Boomer Royal Antwerp [25]
1928 Albert Tingey Jr. 297 3 strokes Jack Taylor Royal GC Belgium [26]
1927 Marcel Dallemagne 140 Royal Zoute
1926 Aubrey Boomer (2) 137 9 strokes Percy Boomer Royal Zoute [27]
1925 Eugène Lafitte (2) 142 1 stroke Arthur Havers Royal Antwerp [28]
1924 Walter Hagen 143 3 strokes Aubrey Boomer Zoute
1923 Percy Boomer 145 1 stroke Aubrey Boomer Royal GC Belgium [29]
1922 Aubrey Boomer 150 1 stroke Charles Corlett
Marius Cavallo		 Royal GC Belgium [30]
1921 Eugène Lafitte 145 10 strokes George Pannell Royal GC Belgium
1920 Rowland Jones 154 Playoff Aubrey Boomer
Henry Burrows		 Zoute [31]
1915–1919: No tournament due to World War I
1914 Tom Ball (2) 144 4 strokes Charles Mayo Royal Antwerp [32]
1913 Tom Ball 145 1 stroke James Braid Lombardsijde [33]
1912 George Duncan 144 Playoff Tom Ball
Ted Ray		 Royal GC Belgium [34]
1911 Charles Mayo 144 3 strokes Arnaud Massy Royal GC Belgium [35]
1910 Arnaud Massy 139 5 strokes Sandy Herd
Harry Vardon		 Royal GC Belgium [36]

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.

See also

Notes

  1. ^ a b Between 2018–19, the event used a knockout format. This is the score in the final.
  2. ^ Shortened to 54 holes due to rain.

References

  1. ^ "Thomas Pieters to host Belgian Knockout in 2018". European Tour. 25 September 2017. Archived from the original on 28 April 2018. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
  2. ^ "Belgian Knockout Tournament History". European Tour. Archived from the original on 28 April 2018. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
  3. ^ "European Tour Set To Return To Belgium In 2022 With Soudal Open". Golfmagic. 14 April 2021. Archived from the original on 7 August 2021. Retrieved 7 August 2021.
  4. ^ "2018 Belgian Knockout format, cut rules, match play rules". Golf News Net. 14 May 2018. Retrieved 28 May 2025.
  5. ^ "Belgian Open title for Bousfield". The Times. 11 July 1958. p. 4.
  6. ^ "Rees and Hunt tie for first place". The Times. 27 May 1957. p. 3.
  7. ^ "Belgian Open". The Times. 11 June 1956. p. 3.
  8. ^ "British golf win". The Glasgow Herald. 13 August 1955. p. 2.
  9. ^ "Belgian Open golf title for Rees". The Times. 19 July 1954. p. 3.
  10. ^ "Belgian Open championship". The Times. 12 August 1953. p. 9.
  11. ^ "Belgian Open championship". The Times. 11 August 1952. p. 4.
  12. ^ "British open golf championship". The Glasgow Herald. 7 August 1951. p. 2.
  13. ^ "Ostend, July 24". The Times. 25 July 1950. p. 7.
  14. ^ "Adams wins in Belgian". The Times. 15 August 1949. p. 6.
  15. ^ "The Belgian Open championship". The Times. 12 August 1939. p. 4.
  16. ^ "Cotton wins Belgian "Open"". The Glasgow Herald. 14 July 1938. p. 2.
  17. ^ "Belgian Open title for Dellamagne". The Glasgow Herald. 23 July 1937. p. 4.
  18. ^ "The Belgian Open championship". The Times. 11 August 1936. p. 6.
  19. ^ "Belgian Open championship". The Times. 9 July 1935. p. 7.
  20. ^ "Cotton wins the Belgian Open". The Glasgow Herald. 15 August 1934. p. 7. Archived from the original on 31 March 2024. Retrieved 9 December 2016.
  21. ^ "Boyer wins Belgian Open championship". The Times. 9 August 1933. p. 5.
  22. ^ "Lacey wins Belgian championship". The Times. 20 June 1932. p. 6.
  23. ^ "Belgian Open championship". The Times. 22 July 1931. p. 6.
  24. ^ "Belgian championship". The Times. 30 June 1930. p. 4.
  25. ^ "Belgian Open championship". The Times. 1 June 1929. p. 5.
  26. ^ "Belgian championship". The Times. 19 June 1928. p. 7.
  27. ^ "Belgian Open golf championship". The Times. 14 July 1926. p. 6.
  28. ^ "Belgian Open golf championship". The Times. 5 October 1925. p. 16.
  29. ^ "Golf". Le Gaulois (in French). 30 June 1923. p. 5. Archived from the original on 22 March 2023. Retrieved 22 March 2023 – via Retro News.
  30. ^ "Golf - Belgian open championship". The Times. 3 July 1922. p. 19.
  31. ^ "Golf - Belgian professional championship". The Times. 14 July 1920. p. 6.
  32. ^ "Belgian Open golf championship - Tom Ball's victory". The Times. 13 July 1914. p. 13.
  33. ^ "Belgian Open championship - Victory of Tom Ball". The Times. 18 October 1913. p. 13.
  34. ^ "Open championship of Belgium - Victory of Duncan". The Times. 6 July 1912. p. 13.
  35. ^ "Belgian Open championship - Victory of C.H. Mayo". The Times. 1 June 1911. p. 14.
  36. ^ "Open championship of Belgium - Victory of Arnaud Massy". The Times. 3 June 1910. p. 18.

51°16′51″N 4°34′25″E / 51.2807°N 4.5737°E / 51.2807; 4.5737

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