It is the eternal debate, pitting traditionalists (usually of UK origin) against heretics from other parts of the world who fiercely defend the status of their own national tournaments… US Open, Spanish Open, Australian Open, et al.
During an NBC/Golf Channel teleconference, a reporter asked Johnny Miller (winner of the 1973 US Open and 1976 “British” Open) if he ever got himself tripped up by calling the tournament "the Open Championship".
Nick Faldo (1987, 1990 and 1992 “The Open” champion) eagerly plunged into the discussion. "The Open Championship is incorrect. It's now the Open," he said, pointing out the tournament's recent re-brand. "You see? It's gone from the British Open, the Open Championship, now it's the Open."
Miller replied that he was still confused by it all, but that it was always known as the British Open during his playing days and that's what he still called it – at least when he was not on air. "I have trouble with it," Miller said. "I screwed up one time last year, if you call it a screw-up, which is pretty good in four days."
Prompting Faldo to conclude, "In another five years it will be just called 'The’."
