Many stars have come under fire for their performances at majors since their lucrative moves to , but one man whose motivation and form can't be questioned is Richard Bland. On his debut appearance at last week's , the 53-year-old briefly appeared in contention before finishing tied for 37th at Quail Hollow.
The Englishman was one of the first players to join the Saudi-backed venture in 2022, a switch that cost him his place on the DP World Tour. He's since finished inside the top 24 in the LIV standings in three consecutive seasons, and made more than £11million in prize money. In February, he was fifth in the rebel event in Adelaide, his best result on the LIV tour since finishing tied for third in Greenbrier two years ago.
Since then, though, a host of big names have signed with the Saudi-backed circuit. Bland, who turned professional in 1996 and endured a 25-year wait before his first European Tour win at the 2021 British Masters, believes his desire to keep his LIV place alongside the world's best has benefited him.
"My game has definitely improved since joining the LIV Tour, it had to if I'm going to compete," he told the . "When you compete with , Brooks Koepka and week in, week out, I have to bring my best if I have any chance of competing.
"Someone like Jon last week (at the PGA Championship) proved he is a top-five player in the world. So is Bryson, and to be able to go up against those guys 14 times a year will only enhance my game."
Bland is the second-oldest golfer on the LIV tour behind Phil Mickleson. He has provided one of the highlights of the season so far in Mexico, making an albatross on a par-five.
Next week, though, his focus will turn to defending his Senior PGA title at Congressional Country Club in Maryland. In 2024, he won the tournament on his senior major debut at Harbour Shores, his first win since the British Masters three years previously.
He followed that up with a victory at the US Senior Open. Following his title defence, he's expected to compete in the next LIV event in Virginia, with the 54-hole event starting on Thursday, June 6.
