Canadian Open

The Canadian Open is a golf tournament which was founded in 1904. Since 1994 it has been sponsored as the "Bell Canadian Open". As a national open, and especially as the most accessible non-US national open for American golfers, the event had a special status in the era before the professional tour system became dominant in golf. In the interwar years it was sometimes considered the third most prestigious tournament in the sport after the British Open and the U.S. Open. This former status was noted in the media in 2000, when Tiger Woods became the first man to win all three Opens in the same season since Lee Trevino in 1971. Nonetheless, this special status has largely dissipated, but the Canadian Open is a well regarded fixture on the PGA Tour.

The Canadian Tour receives a limited number of places in the Canadian Open. The prize money does not count towards the Canadian Tour money list.

Celebrated golfers who have won the tournament include: Walter Hagen, Sam Snead, Bobby Locke, Arnold Palmer, Lee Trevino, Greg Norman and Tiger Woods. The Canadian Open is regarded as the most prestigious tournament never won by the great Jack Nicklaus, a 7-time runner-up.

In recent years the tournament has been held in mid-September, following the major tournaments and most other high-profile events. Its field has accordingly become increasingly lacking in "star" golfers. Seeking to change this, the Royal Canadian Golf Association has long lobbied for a summer date. With the recent revamp of the Tour schedule, as of 2007 the tournament will indeed be held in July, albeit sandwiched between three events with even higher profiles (the British Open the week prior, one of the World Golf Championship events the week after, and the PGA Championship the week after that). Many analysts doubt that the field strength will increase significantly as a result, with the biggest star players not wanting to play four consecutive weeks.

A Canadian has not won the Bell Canadian Open since Pat Fletcher in 1954.