LIV Golf star's bold confession over rebel league sums up job Greg Norman has done
Richard Bland has two senior major titles to his name following a succesful 2024, but now the Englishman has his eyes on winning his first LIV Golf victory this weekend
Richard Bland has admitted that victory at LIV Golf Greenbrier this week would top his two senior major championship victories from earlier in the campaign.
Bland made his mark on the senior major stage on debut in May, winning the Senior PGA Championship by three shots at Harbor Shores Golf Club. One month later, the Englishman went back-to-back on the major stage, clinching the Senior US Open crown via a tense playoff at Newport Country Club.
At the age of 51, Bland appears to be playing the best golf of his career, having spent the majority of his playing days as somewhat of a journeyman across the DP World Tour.
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This campaign in particular has been a very positive one for Bland and he has played his way into contention at LIV Greenbrier with 18 holes left to play. The Cleeks GC star is bogey-free across the opening two days, having carded back-to-back six-under-par 64's to leave him two shots behind leader Jon Rahm.
While he has plenty of company at the top, Bland has set his sights on winning his maiden LIV title on Sunday, and if he is to get over the line, the veteran admitted it would top his two major triumphs earlier this year. In a testament to the job Greg Norman has done and expressing just how important a win on the breakaway circuit would be, he said on Saturday: "I think you would have to put it above everything.
"Personally, I think, just because of the standard of the players that you're playing against.Obviously I don't mean that in any way to play down a senior major. Obviously that's still a great achievement.But to look at the leaderboard that's in front of you, it's pretty stacked.Yeah, if you came out on top tomorrow, that would be, for me, career defining, I think."
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As mentioned Bland will have to overcome the lead of one of the game's most in-form stars in former world No. 1 Rahm. Also sat towards the top is 2023 LIV individual champion Talor Gooch and 2022 Champion Golfer of The Year in Aussie star Cameron Smith.
For Bland, just to be competing alongside the top players in the world is an achievement in its self. "At my age to still be competing with these guys kind of says a lot about my game," he claimed. It would be nice to get that completely wrapped up going into Chicago in a couple of weeks.
"Again, we'll see.I'm not really going to think about that too much tomorrow. Just go out and play. But one shot at a time and see where it leaves me." Bland will play in the penultimate group on Sunday's third round, teeing off on the first hole in the shotgun start alongside Ripper GC pair Smith and Lucas Herbert.
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