LIV Golf’s Richard Bland wins Senior PGA Championship
Richard Bland of Cleeks GC beat the best senior players in the world by three shots to win his first senior major in his first ever senior event…
Richard Bland arrived at the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship during his month-long break from the LIV Golf schedule, and won it.
The Englishman fired 63 in the last round at Harbour Shores to beat Australia’s Richard Green by three shots, winning his first senior major in his first senior event and just his second professional win at the age of 51.
Bypassing the likes of Ernie Els, Retief Goosen, Steve Stricker and Stewart Cink, Bland became the third Englishman to win the Senior PGA and secure a spot for the 2025 PGA Championship at Quail Hollow.
Bland was playing for his brother Heath who he revealed was recently diagnosed with lung cancer. He held back the tears during his victory speech as again, Bland tasted more success during what is meant to be the swansong of his career.
2024 KitchenAid Senior PGA Champion Richard Bland dedicates his victory to his brother Heath ❤️#SrPGAChamp pic.twitter.com/iR0spcTVF4
— KitchenAid Senior PGA Champ (@seniorpgachamp) May 26, 2024
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In 2021, Bland won the Betfred British Masters in a playoff at the Belfry on the 478th start of his DP World Tour career. He became the oldest first-time winner on the circuit at the age of 48, and this provided a platform for Bland to make his second US Open appearance in the same year and play in the WGC Match Play, a tournament that pitted the top 64 players in the world against each other.
A year later, Bland accepted an offer to join LIV Golf, the Saudi-backed entity that has emerged as a direct rival to the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour. He plays for Cleeks GC and although he hasn’t won an event yet, Bland has performed consistently and is placed in the top half of the 54-man table.
Bland started the final round on Sunday one shot behind Els and lefty Greg Chalmers in Michigan, but he got to work with six birdies on the front nine. He eagled the par-5 15th hole, but he was forced to endure a weather delay with three holes left.
The man from Southampton held on for a comfortable win and will next play in the LIV Golf League in Houston at the start of June.
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Matt Chivers
Now on the wrong side of 25, Matt has been playing golf since the age of 13 and was largely inspired to take up the game by countless family members who played golf during his childhood.
Matt is a member at Royal Cinque Ports in Deal playing off a 5 handicap, just a pitching wedge away from his hometown of Dover where he went to school and grew up. He has previously been a member at Etchinghill and Walmer and Kingsdown in Kent.
Having studied history at the University of Liverpool, Matt went on to pass his NCTJ Exams in Manchester a year later to fulfil his lifelong ambition of becoming a journalist. He picked up work experience along the way at places such as the Racing Post, the Independent, Sportsbeat and the Lancashire Evening Post.
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