Open de France: 118 Years of History Between La Boulie and Le Golf National
In 1906, 118 years ago, the Open de France was born, the oldest golf tournament in continental Europe, which has been part of the European Tour’s schedule since its inception in 1972. In 2024, the 106th edition of this prestigious tournament will be held, as France occupies a privileged position in the new Back 9 of the DP World Tour, where players compete in nine of the Tour’s most historic tournaments and National Opens to try to qualify for the end-of-season Play-Offs.
Origins (1906-1945)
Originally played at La Boulie, where the tournament began in 1906, the venue has moved several times before settling at Le Golf National, near Paris, in 1991. Every year, except for 1999 and 2001, these French facilities have hosted the best golfers of the time, and this will happen again from October 10 to 13, 2024.
The first champion was the Frenchman Arnaud Massy, who remains the only Frenchman to have won The Open Championship. He also managed to lift the Open de France trophy four times (1906, 1907, 1911, and 1925).
The tournament grew in prestige during the early decades of the 20th century, attracting more and more players, but the two World Wars forced the event to be suspended during those periods.
Growth Period (1945-1990)
After World War II, the Open de France regained its place on the European golf calendar and consolidated itself as one of the continent’s most important events. Many players from the United States began arriving in France to compete in the tournament, and the visibility of the Open de France increased significantly.
In 1972, it became one of the founding tournaments of the European Tour, the most important professional golf circuit in Europe, with players like Severiano Ballesteros and Nick Faldo leaving their mark over the years.
Additionally, other Spaniards like Ángel Miguel, Miguel Sota, José Rivero, Miguel Ángel Martín, and José María Olazábal were also able to lift the title before the end of the 20th century.
Modern Era (1990-2024)
Starting in the 1990s, the Open de France established itself as a key event on the European Tour, integrating into the Rolex Series category in 2017, a series of high-profile tournaments within the circuit. The victory of Argentine Ángel Cabrera in 2001 marked a historic moment.
118 years encompass a lot, and throughout the tournament’s history, up to 16 venues have hosted the Open de France. From Versailles with La Boulie to Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines with Le Golf National, it has gone through locations such as Chantilly, Oise, Le Touquet, Dieppe, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Saint-Cloud, and Lyon. However, Le Golf National will always have an advantage, as this course was the venue for the Ryder Cup in 2018 and the Olympics in Paris 2024.
Moreover, since the turn of the millennium, the French Golf Federation has put in significant effort to give this tournament an extra boost. In 2004, qualifying tournaments were introduced following the model of The Open Championship and the US Open, open to professionals and amateurs. Prize money increased from €865,000 in 1999 to €4 million between 2006 and 2009, placing the Open de France among the top-tier events on the European Tour.
The prize fund was €3 million in 2015 and €3.5 million in 2016, reaching €7 million in 2017 after joining the new Rolex Series. However, the main sponsor for the 2017 and 2018 editions decided to cancel its budget, and for example, last season, the champion took home a total of €3,250,000.
