LIV Golf’s Richard Bland uses off-week to make senior debut and win Senior PGA Championship over a host of Aussies

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[PHOTO: Patrick McDermott]

LIV Golf is not bereft of talent, obviously, but Richard Bland, a 51-year-old Englishman and former European Tour journeyman, would seem among the least likely of its members to emerge a major champion in the US.

Bland, who had only one victory in a long European Tour career before joining LIV, shot a final-round eight-under-par 63 in cool, wet weather to win the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship at Harbor Shores in Benton Harbor, Michigan. It was his senior debut.

“I was interested to see that if I brought my game how it would stack up against these guys,” Bland said. “Thankfully, it does.”

Bland’s 72-hole total of 17-under 267 was three better than runner-up Richard Green and four ahead of Greg Chalmers. A third Australian, Scott Hend, shared fourth place.

He was not even sure he’d be eligible to play in the Senior PGA Championship. At 48, he won the British Masters, which earned him an exemption into the tournament in 2023, but a LIV Golf event was scheduled the same weekend, precluding him from playing. This year, with no LIV event scheduled for the same week, he reached out to the PGA of America, asking if he could play this year, and he received an invitation to do so.

Then he went out and won it.

“Obviously, the British Masters was very special at 48, but this is right up there,” he said. “I couldn’t be happier.”

Bland, the second-round leader, imploded in the third round, citing a faulty putter in posting a three-over 74 that placed him a shot behind co-leaders Chalmers and Ernie Els. In the final round, he putted exceptionally well with the same putter.

“I think I put the fright in my putter,” he said. “I went out on the putting green with a different putter. I putted so poorly yesterday. I brought a different putter with me and kind of scared my gamer, thinking about putting a different putter in there. I’m glad I didn’t.”

Bland was trailing Chalmers by one when they arrived at the par-5 15th hole. Bland eagled the hole, while Chalmers parred it, to take a lead he never relinquished.

“He hit two beautiful shots on the par 5 to six feet above the hole and made it for eagle,” Chalmers said. “Then the second shot I thought he hit on 16 was world-class. To be able to be in that right rough there and turn it into that pin, he won this golf tournament. He played beautiful golf today. He played the best golf and absolutely deserves the trophy.

“Even though I didn’t finish as strongly as I would like, I have to take solace in the fact that I was three-over at the start of the tournament on Thursday and here I am, finished third outright,” added Chalmers, who earned $US238,000 for his week’s work.

“It’s a great week in any first major, first real taste of being in the last group and seeing some things about what it takes and what I need to work on and improve. I take a lot of positives about it. I’m hopeful I can get another opportunity down the line.

“Ironically, I’m in the US Open and the British Open coming up, so hoping I’ll get some chances to get in this position again.”

Green’s surge came late with eagles at both 12 and 15, taking his tally for the week to five. He holed an 8-iron from 127 metres at the par-4 12th and then converted his chance from eight feet at the par-5 15th to reach 14-under.

A three-time winner on the Legends Tour in Europe, Green believes he is closing in on a maiden win in the US.

“I just think it adds to your confidence and belief that you can hang in there under pressure, you can take it all the way to the end,” said Green, who earned $US378,000 for second. “That’s all you can really take out of it. I work so hard on my game in the background and it’s up to me to be mentally strong in those situations.”

Cameron Percy is starting over at the Senior PGA Championship

In a week that began with 14 Aussies in the field, five finished inside the top 20. Queenslander Hend (66) also made eagle on 15 on his way to his tie for fourth while Stuart Appleby shot 67 in the final round to climb into a tie for 14th.

Michael Wright (68) enjoyed his best finish on the PGA Tour Champions with a tie for 17th, as Cameron Percy finished tied 21st in his seniors debut.

Meanwhile, he victory earns Bland an exemption into the US Senior Open next month at Newport Country Club in Newport, Rhode Island. He will play two LIV Golf events, in Houston and Nashville, in the run up to the Senior Open.

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