Sudden senior star Richard Bland caught in strange spot as LIV golfer, can’t play in Senior British Open

SOTOGRANDE, Spain — A conversation with Richard Bland at Real Club Valderrama on Wednesday, ahead of LIV Golf Andalucía, revealed one of the feel-good stories of professional golf has somewhat of a plot twist.

“Blandemonium,” as fans are calling it, has been a palate cleanser during a divisive three years in professional golf. Fans first took notice in 2021 when, at 48, Bland became the oldest golfer to win his first DP World Tour event at the British Masters, and at Torrey Pines that same year, to lead a U.S. Open through two rounds.

This year, now 51 and playing on LIV Golf, he’s posting good results on LIV against major winners and players in their 20s and 30s, while winning the Senior PGA Championship and Senior U.S. Open back-to-back.

A pro playing his best golf into his 50s, and dedicating all his success to his brother, Heath, who is suffering from cancer, has been emotional and inspiring for golf fans.

“Pros don’t usually win their first DP World event in their 478th start,” Bland told Golf Digest at former Ryder Cup venue Valderrama. “I’ve got a lot of messages [text and social media DMs] that [my story] has inspired a lot of people in whatever path they were on. Some people were struggling with something and because they’d watched me play, they said, ‘I’m going to push through it.’”

After winning the Senior U.S. Open at Newport Country Club in a playoff earlier this month, it was thought that Bland had an opportunity to win what some on social media dubbed the “Bland Slam”—the Senior PGA, Senior U.S. Open and Senior Open Championship.

But that’s where the story gets complicated.

The Bland Slam will not be possible. Bland is one of several DP World Tour pros who had not paid their sanctions to the Euro circuit that accumulated after each LIV Golf event they played conflicted with a DP World tournament. “LIV didn’t pay my fines and I didn’t want them to, because I was never going to go back to DP World Tour, so I didn’t see the point,” Bland said.

The DP World Tour co-runs the Senior Open Championship with the R&A and will follow its policy of not letting DP World Tour members who have played on LIV, and have outstanding fines, tee up in tournaments until they are paid. That includes Bland.

Golfers who have paid all sanctions include Patrick Reed and Thomas Pieters, who both competed at last week’s BMW International Open in Munich, and both finished in the top 13.

The DP World Tour has been consistent in its fining of LIV players, with sanctions weighted based on whether each LIV event is in the same region and time zone as a DP World leg. The fines are higher when a LIV event runs against a flagship tournament on the DP World Tour, such as a Rolex Series.

But Bland pointed to the open status of the senior links major as to why he should be able to play, irrespective of the fines.

“The R&A needed to stand up to the DP World Tour and go, ‘Look, this is an open event, not a closed event,’” Bland said.

It’s a moot point, though, given the Senior Open Championship clashes with LIV Golf U.K. at the JCB course in the Midlands.

“My priorities are there, and even if [I could] go play [with a tournament release from LIV Golf], I don’t know. I’d have to I’d have to think about it,” he said.

Still, Bland can’t help but daydream of a third senior major win, especially given the July 25–28 event will be held at Carnoustie. “It’s a shame because Carnoustie is one of my favorite courses, in my top five ever,” he said. “I played the Dunhill Links Championship there many times, so I would actually probably really fancy my chances.”

Instead, Bland will focus on golf outside the majors. That will most certainly be on LIV Golf, given the one-year exemption on the PGA Tour Champions afforded to winners of senior majors was not extended to Bland because of his LIV Golf membership. The PGA Tour has banned those who joined LIV.

On LIV, Bland, who plays on Cleeks GC team captained by two-time major winner Martin Kaymer, sits 25th on LIV’s individual points standings with four tournaments remaining in the individual season. The top 24 are automatically invited back to LIV for the following season. Players who finish 25-44, and whose contracts are expiring, become free agents.

“Cleeks have asked me to be re-signed in the transfer window, but we haven’t had the full green light, as such, so as it stands I need to finish top 24,” he said. “I’m pretty confident I’ll be playing on the Cleeks next year, but I’ve got to play good golf like I have been.”

Fans would like to see that, no doubt, given no-one wants a good story to end.