LIV Golf star opens up how joining Saudi breakaway league has impacted his golf

LIV Golf star Richard Bland credits his move to the Saudi-backed league for his improved performance on the green.

Bland clinched a nail-biting victory at the U.S. Senior Open at Newport Country Club on Monday, narrowly defeating Hiroyuki Fujita in a rain-delayed playoff. The 51-year-old made a significant impact on the senior golf scene last month by winning the Senior PGA Championship in his circuit debut.

With his victories in the U.S. Senior Open and Senior PGA , Bland now stands alongside Jack Nicklaus, Hale Irwin, Roger Chapman, and Colin Montgomerie as one of the only players to secure first place in both senior major championships.

Bland's journey to becoming a high-stakes player was not an overnight success. The Burton upon Trent native participated in 479 starts before securing his first DP World Tour event - the British Masters in 2021. This was his sole victory during his 20-year career on the European Tour.

READ MORE: Sergio Garcia frustrated at Open Qualifying and makes angry demand to officials
READ MORE: Sergio Garcia shows true colors to child at Open Qualifying after LIV Golf star berates officials

Following his recent senior major win, Bland attributed his late-career resurgence to the high level of competition he consistently faces on LIV Golf, which he joined in 2022. "Yeah, I’m a way better golfer than I was back then, but I think that’s the caliber of players that I’m playing against on LIV," he stated, according to Golf Monthly .

“To play against Bryson [DeChambeau], who won just the other week at Pinehurst, to play against him, to play against Jon Rahm, Cam Smith, DJ [Dustin Johnson], Brooks [Koepka], they’re the best players in the world. I don’t care what the world ranking says. If I’m going to compete with those guys, I have to bring my A-game. I have to. I can’t bring my C-game, and it won’t stack up against those.

"It just elevates my game, and I think it’s done that unbelievably over the last three years. It’s just made me a better player. You’re not always going to be playing your best golf, but I’m the best player I’ve ever been."

Bland also expressed his hopes of performing well for his brother Heath, who is currently battling cancer but is expected to undergo surgery to remove a tumor soon. The four-time pro winner revealed he'd be gifting his sibling the PGA Championship trophy he won, but would keep the US Senior Open hardware for himself.

"He's always there kind of in the back of all of our minds," Bland said. "It's been a tough 15, 16 months for him and the family. Hopefully, he's going to have some surgery soon to get rid of the tumor from his lung.

"I was fortunate to win the PGA and obviously win - I think I get the replica for that this week. I've always said that that's his. He can have that. That was always for him. But this one right here, this one's for me and my wife. I'm just looking forward to getting back home and seeing the family. I've been away for four weeks now. Yeah, really looking forward to getting home."