Editing The Open Championship (section)

==Name==
The first event was held as an invitational tournament, but the next year [[Prestwick Golf Club]] declared that "the belt... on all future occasions, shall be open to all the world".<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/golf/the_open/open_history/2062509.stm |title=From Prestwick to Muirfield |date=12 July 2002 |publisher=BBC |access-date=5 January 2019 |archive-date=30 June 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240630135316/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/golf/the_open/open_history/2062509.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> In its early years it was often referred to as The Championship but with the advent of the [[Amateur Championship]] in 1885, it became more common to refer to it as The Open Championship or simply The Open. The tournament inspired other national bodies to introduce [[open golf tournament]]s of their own, such as the [[U.S. Open (golf)|U.S. Open]], and later many others.<ref name="theopen-name">{{Cite web |url=https://www.theopen.com/News/News/2017/07/Why-The-Open |title=Why it's called 'The Open' and not the 'British Open' |date=7 April 2017 |website=theopen.com |access-date=1 January 2019 |archive-date=3 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190103005017/https://www.theopen.com/News/News/2017/07/Why-The-Open |url-status=live }}</ref> To distinguish it from their own national open, it became common in many countries to refer to the tournament as the "British Open". [[The R&A]] (the tournament's organiser) continued to refer to it as The Open Championship. During the [[interwar period|interwar years]], a period with many U.S.-based winners, the term British Open would occasionally be used during the trophy presentation and in British newspapers.<ref>{{Cite magazine |url=https://www.golfdigest.com/story/we-have-explosive-new-evidence-in-the-endless-british-open-vs-open-championship-debate |title=We have explosive new evidence in the endless "British Open" vs. "Open Championship" debate |last=Weinman |first=Sam |magazine=Golf Digest |date=20 July 2018 |access-date=2019-03-13 |archive-date=11 November 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191111063612/https://www.golfdigest.com/story/we-have-explosive-new-evidence-in-the-endless-british-open-vs-open-championship-debate |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=CKJAAAAAIBAJ&pg=3029%2C4923113 |newspaper=Glasgow Herald |location=Scotland |title=Carnoustie's Great Week |date=1 June 1931 |page=13 |access-date=27 September 2020 |archive-date=12 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230412033310/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=CKJAAAAAIBAJ&pg=3029,4923113 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2017, a representative of [[the R&A]] openly stated that it is a priority to "eradicate the term British Open" and have a single identity and brand of "The Open" in all countries.<ref name="businsider-name">{{Cite news|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/the-open-or-british-open-correct-name-2017-7?r=UK&IR=T|title=Open Championship organizers don't want anybody calling it 'The British Open' anymore and it is causing more confusion than ever|last=Belden|first=Sam|date=20 July 2017|work=Business Insider|access-date=1 January 2019|archive-date=30 June 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240630135316/https://www.businessinsider.com/the-open-or-british-open-correct-name-2017-7?r=UK&IR=T|url-status=live}}</ref> Tournament partners, such as the [[PGA Tour]], now refer to it without "British" in the title,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.pgatour.com/tournaments/the-open-championship/past-results.html |title=The Open – History |publisher=PGA Tour |access-date=1 January 2019 |archive-date=3 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190103005222/https://www.pgatour.com/tournaments/the-open-championship/past-results.html |url-status=live }}</ref> media rightsholders are contractually required to refer to the event as The Open Championship,<ref name="businsider-name"/> and the official website has released a statement titled "Why it's called 'The Open' and not the 'British Open'" stating that "The Open is the correct name for the Championship. It is also the most appropriate".<ref name="theopen-name"/> The R&A's stance has attracted criticism from some commentators.<ref name="businsider-name"/><ref name="wsj-name">{{Cite news |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-open-is-in-britain-but-dont-call-it-the-british-1500376574 |title=Dear American Twits, This Golf Event Is Properly Called 'The Open' |last=Costa |first=Brian |date=18 July 2017 |work=The Wall Street Journal |access-date=18 July 2017 |issn=0099-9660 |archive-date=18 July 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170718121407/https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-open-is-in-britain-but-dont-call-it-the-british-1500376574 |url-status=live }}{{subscription required}}</ref><ref name="golfdigest-openname">{{Cite magazine |url=http://www.golfdigest.com/story/americans-its-okay-to-call-thi |title=Americans: It's okay to call this major "The British Open," and don't let anyone tell you otherwise |last=Ryan |first=Shane |magazine=Golf Digest |date=14 July 2015 |access-date=18 July 2017 |archive-date=11 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201111202951/https://www.golfdigest.com/story/americans-its-okay-to-call-thi |url-status=live }}</ref>

The R&A also run [[The Senior Open Championship|The Senior Open]], the over 50s equivalent of the Open, which was officially known as the "Senior British Open" from its inception in 1987 until 2007, when "British" was dropped from the name.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.europeantour.com/staysuretour/season=2018/tournamentid=2018848/history/index.html |title=Senior Open – History |publisher=PGA European Tour |access-date=1 January 2019 |archive-date=3 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190103005324/http://www.europeantour.com/staysuretour/season=2018/tournamentid=2018848/history/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The [[Women's British Open|Women's Open]], seen by some as the women's equivalent to the Open (although unlike the Open it is not always held on a [[links golf|links]] course, and was not run by the R&A until 2017) was officially known as the "Women's British Open" from its inception in 1976 until 2020, when the word "British" was dropped from the name as part of a sponsorship deal with [[AIG]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/golf/53497474 |title=Women's Open drops 'British' from title in sponsorship rebrand |publisher=BBC |access-date=23 July 2020 |archive-date=23 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200723012906/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/golf/53497474 |url-status=live }}</ref>