Richard Bland goes two for two at senior majors with US Open title

On May 26, Richard Bland won the Senior PGA Championship in Benton Harbour, Michigan, having made his senior tour debut three days earlier. On Monday, the genial Englishman made it two for two with the Senior US Open in Newport, Rhode Island, after making a last-minute decision to turn up at the Newport Country Club last week.

Bland, 51, edged out Japan’s Hiroyuki Fujita on the fourth playoff hole after hauling in the runaway event leader in the weather-hit tournament having started the final round five strokes behind. When players were called off the course on Sunday with fog and storms looming, Bland had closed to within three of Furita who had led right from the first day.

The field returned on Monday and the Englishman who now plies his professional trade with LIV Golf League levelled it up at 13 under par 267 with a closing 4 under 66 as the event leader dropped three shots over a four-hole stretch to finish on 1 over 71 to also total 267. In the two-stage playoff (two-hole aggregate followed by sudden death from the third) the pair matched scores for three holes before Bland nearly dunked in from the bunker and tapped in for par while his Japanese opponent missed his par putt on the fourth knockout hole.

“I think this one’s going to take a little while,” said Bland on the USGA website after becoming the 12th player to win the Senior US Open on debut and the second from England after Roger Chapman. “Your first two senior tournaments to be majors, and to come out on top … I was just hoping going into the  PGA that I was good enough to contend. I hadn’t played against these guys. 

“I knew if I played the way I know I can play, it should be good enough to be able to compete. But, yeah, here with two majors is … I’m at a loss for words at the moment now.

“This is very special. I’m struggling to put this into words right now. We were chasing all week. I think he had the lead pretty much wire to wire. I’m thrilled beyond words to be standing here.”

“I started the day with a three-shot lead,” added Fujita, who made four bogeys in his final round against just one over the first 54 holes. “I didn’t play my best and got into a playoff. Definitely disappointed I didn’t hit the ball as well as I have all week. I had a lot of people rooting for me and watching in Japan. I was really hoping to take that trophy home.”

Richard Green (71) of Australia finished third on 10 under 270, one ahead of 2019 winner Steve Stricker, while Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee (67) and Bob Estes (70) shared fifth place on 8 under 282, with Vijay Singh (66) seventh (273). Ernie Els (65), Stephen Ames (68) and Paul Stankowski (71) rounded out the top 10, sharing the eighth spot on 274.

Bland had to wait 25 years and till his 478th tournament on the European (DP World) Tour for his first win at the 2022 British Masters after turning professional in 1996 to become the oldest first-time winner on the tour. And since joining the 50-plus ranks at the Senior PGA Championship, he has now won two out of two majors played and joins the likes of Arnold Palmer and Alex Cejka as double major winners in their first two senior starts.

Bland dedicated his first senior major to his brother Heath who has been battling cancer. “He should be getting his lung cancer surgery soon and it shouldn’t be too invasive,” Bland was quoted as saying. “He’s in good spirits and very positive throughout. The Senior PGA title wasn’t mine; it was his.”

After Monday’s victory, Bland held up the Francis Ouimet Trophy and added: “This one is staying at my house.”