It might have taken Richard Bland 478 starts on the DP World Tour to claim his maiden victory at the Betfred British Masters, but since joining the LIV Golf League in 2022 the Englishman has had a second lease of life in his golfing career, and his trophy to starts ratio has massively improved!

Now aged 51, the Cleeks GC player was a pivotal part of his team’s success in claiming their hard earned silverware at LIV Golf Houston in May, a victory that had been knocking on the door prior.

“It was great to get the first win for the team at Houston a few weeks ago now,” said the Englishman. “We run at it in a close second in Singapore, so to back it up with a win was great.”

Bland came into the event at Golf Club of Houston off the back of his maiden major triumph at the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship. A win that Bland was both delighted for but at the same time not neglecting the hard work his team mates of Martin Kaymer, Adrian Meronk and Kalle Samooja had put in for their final round heroics in Houston.

“The win at Harbor Shores was great, but that’s all forgotten about now. In golf as you know, it gets forgotten pretty quick once you are into the next week, it’s all focus on that.”

All that focus seemed to pay off!

“Obviously I’m super proud of what happened a few weeks ago, but I’m also super proud of these guys and there is definitely more to come from us.”

Blandy will continue to ride the crest of a wave as he hits his “home event” on the 2024 LIV Golf schedule, along with the U.S. Senior Open in his back pocket, as tournament 11 is situated on UK soil at the newly appointed JCB Golf and Country Club, a stone’s throw from the birthplace of Bland.

“I was born up there, then we moved down to Southampton when I was two or three years old. If anyone asks where I’m from now I say Southampton, but Burton-on-Trent is on my passport though.

“But it still makes it extra special. Whenever you play in front of your home crowd it’s always a little bit more special. When I used to play DP World Tour events, we always used to get amazing support and we have had that on LIV Golf at Centurion Club, so I’m sure it’s going to be the same at the JCB.”

Even though the JCB maybe a new golf course, in the grand scheme of things, it’s an ultra-exclusive venue that comes with an abundance of firepower.

Depending on the weather, it might not be playing the longest, but it’s all about the quadrants on the greens because of the undulations. If you can control your golf ball and get it into the right spot on the green you will be able to give yourself a birdie chance. If you miss those spots, and the speed of the greens is up, it will make it tricky, so approach play is a premium.

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