Richard Bland has achieved another significant milestone in his career by winning the US Senior Open, marking his second over-50s Major victory.
The 51-year-old English golfer triumphed in a playoff against Hiroyuki Fujita at Newport Country Club, adding this title to his Senior PGA Championship win earlier this year. Bland attributes his impressive form to his switch to the LIV Golf League in 2022, despite experiencing a drop in his Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR).
Bland believes competing against top-tier golfers in the LIV Golf League, such as Bryson DeChambeau, Dustin Johnson, and Brooks Koepka, has elevated his game.
He maintains that the high caliber of his competitors demands that he always bring his best performance. This competitive environment, Bland asserts, has significantly improved his golfing skills, making him the best player he has ever been.
In the two years since joining the LIV Golf League, Bland has consistently finished within the ‘Lock Zone,’ ensuring his participation in the next season. Reflecting on his progress, Bland dismisses the importance of his world ranking, focusing instead on the level of competition he faces and how it pushes him to excel.
A deeply personal motivation for Bland is his brother Heath, who has been battling cancer. After winning the US Senior Open, Bland dedicated his Senior PGA Championship trophy to Heath, while keeping the latest trophy for himself and his wife.
Heath’s ongoing health struggles are a constant presence in Bland’s thoughts, and he hopes for successful surgery to remove a tumor from his brother’s lung.
Bland’s latest victory underscores his belief that joining the LIV Golf League was a pivotal decision in his career, allowing him to compete against and learn from some of the world’s best golfers.
His success story is a testament to the transformative power of facing high-level competition and the personal resilience required to thrive both on and off the course.
