LIV Golf star blocked from keeping major streak alive

The ‘Bland Slam’ has fallen at the final hurdle.

Richard Bland – winner of the Senior PGA Championship and US Senior Open – will not be able to complete the unlikeliest hat-trick.

It’s a story that has caused ‘Blandemonium’ and for good reason. The Englishman won his first two starts on the over 50s tour, both in major championships.

However, he will not be able to take aim at three consecutive senior major titles after being told that he is ineligible to contest the Senior Open Championship at Carnoustie this month.

The event is co-run by the DP World Tour and the R&A and given that Bland is a LIV golfer who is no longer a DP World Tour member and has outstanding fines, he can’t tee it up.

Bland, however, believes the ‘open’ status of the event has to be re-considered.

“The R&A needed to stand up to the DP World Tour and go, ‘Look, this is an open event, not a closed event,’” he told Evin Priest of Golf Digest.

“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.”

• Vandals slammed after ‘disgraceful’ damage to Scottish golf course

• Nelly Korda breaks silence on career-worst LPGA run

For Bland, the remarkable feat was certainly achievable.

“It’s a shame because Carnoustie is one of my favorite courses, in my top five ever,” the 51-year-old said.

“I played the Dunhill Links Championship there many times, so I would actually probably really fancy my chances.”

Instead, Bland will turn his attention back to LIV Golf, where he is a member of Martin Kaymer’s Cleeks GC – who will tee it up at LIV Golf UK in the same week as the senior major.

With four tournaments remaining in the Saudi-backed league’s season, Bland sits 25th in the individual standings.

Players who finish outside of the top 24, and whose contracts are expiring, become free agents. Bland is confident he will remain a part of the setup, though.

• There’s a familar face returning to action at the Scottish Open

• Bookmaker pledges $1 million donation for president golf match

“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.”

Other current and ex-LIV Golf stars have played on the rival tours in recent weeks.

Laurie Canter and Bernd Wiesberger have featured numerous times on the DP World Tour and are in the field for this week’s PGA Tour co-sanctioned event, the Genesis Scottish Open.

Meanwhile, Patrick Reed and Thomas Pieters contested the DP World Tour’s Italian Open last week.

John Turnbull A graduate of the University of Stirling, John joined the bunkered team in 2023 as a Content Producer, with a responsibility for covering all breaking news, tour news, grassroots content and much more besides. A keen golfer, he plays the majority of his golf at Falkirk Tryst Golf Club. Top of his 'bucket list' is a round of Pebble Beach... ideally in the company of Gareth Bale.