Richard

Bland

Last year at The Belfry, Bland became the oldest first-time winner on the tour at the age of 48 years and 101 days, beating Italy’s Guido Migliozzi – 24 years Bland’s junior – in a playoff. Since then, Bland has notched several notable performances, including a loss to Norway’s Viktor Hovland at the Dubai Desert Classic in January, reaching the Round of 16 of the WGC-Match Play in March, and moving into the top 50 on the Official World Golf Ranking for the first time. Bland has made five cuts in seven DPWT start this season, and he’s 2-for-2 in PGA Tour action, which also includes a T-29 at the Valero Texas Open. Additionally, the British Masters marks the start of the four-event 2022 European Qualifying Series for the U.S. Open, which awards spots to the top 10 aggregate points winners in the series (for players not otherwise qualified). The series includes this week’s event, the Soudal Open (May 12-15), Dutch Open (May 26-29) and the Porsche European Open (June 2-5).

While this week marks the DPWT’s first official tournament at PGA Catalunya Golf and Wellness in Girona, it’s a familiar venue for many players – including Bland – who have either claimed or regained their Tour card at this week’s venue. Players will tee it up on the Stadium Course, one of two 18-hole championship layouts at PGA Catalunya along with the Tour Course. The two venues co-hosted nine DPWT Qualifying School Final Stages from 2008-16 before Infinitum – last week’s tournament venue – took its place. The 49-year-old Bland recently spent a two-week stint in the U.S., finishing T-9 at the WGC-Match Play and T-29 at the Valero Texas Open. He’s made four cuts in six DPWT starts this season, with a best finish of solo second at the Dubai Desert Classic in January.

The 49-year-old Bland had a chance to earn his first trip to Augusta National last week at the World Golf Championships-Match Play, where he finished T-9. Bland needed to win his Round of 16 match vs. Dustin Johnson, but he lost to the world No. 8, 3 and 2. The Englishman was making his tournament debut at Austin Country Club, where advanced out of Group 9 after tying his first match with Bryson DeChambeau, then beating Talor Gooch (1-up) and Lee Westwood (2 and 1). Bland became the oldest player to win his group since the format was introduced in 2015, with Phil Mickelson holding the previous mark at 46 years, nine months and eight days in 2017. “When I have my best stuff, and I don’t feel like I had my best stuff this week, I can play against these guys,” Bland said via GolfChannel.com following his run in Austin. “I can walk away with my head held high. I’m guessing no one was really expecting a 49-year-old rookie to get through the group stages, but I did.”

The 49-year-old lost two of the first four holes but his opponent did bogey at the 3rd to give one away. Bland rebounded after the slow start with birdies at 5 and 6 and never looked back. He would add three more back-nine birdies to seal the deal and reach 2-0-1 on the week. A tie in this match would have forced a playoff with 27-seed Talor Gooch (2-1-0). Bland was one (of 11) first-timers in the field this week and already the second to advance onto the Round of 16, with Seamus Power being the other. Bland will do battle with the winner of Group 8 which is Dustin Johnson.

54-seed Bland, the elder statesman in the field at age 49, is making his tourney debut and second WGC appearance overall after a T30 at the 2017 HSBC Champions. DeChambeau, the top-seed in the group, is making his third appearance and sees his record drop to 2-4-1 as he looks to advance out of round-robin play for the first time. The Englishman, who checked in off a T28 on the DP World Tour two weeks ago, will face off against 27-seed Talor Gooch tomorrow, a 3&2 winner today, while DeChambeau will square off against 47-seed Lee Westwood. Today’s match, DeChambeau’s first action since a mid-tourney WD at the Saudi Int’l seven weeks ago, was pretty-much evenly contested throughout, with the American holding a 1 UP lead on two occasions, once after birdie-2 at 4 (from 3'9") and again with a 2-putt birdie-4 at 6. Bland, who never led, tied the match two times, first with birdie-3 at 5 (7'0") and again with a par-win at 10, and the match remained tied the rest of the way.

But first, a date with Bryson DeChambeau awaits Bland as the two are set to face off on Wednesday in Austin. Also grouped with fellow countryman Lee Westwood and Talor Gooch, the status of DeChambeau’s health may open the door for an outsider to win this group. If the case, Bland makes for a strong candidate as he captured a top-30 result in his last start out on the DP World Tour at the MyGolfLife Open. A playoff loser earlier in the year to Viktor Hovland at the Dubai Desert Classic, we have seen Bland’s game come alive on the big stage recently. Namely this past summer at the U.S. Open where he was an unexpected 36-hole leader before a poor weekend was his undoing.

Last year, the Englishman ended a 22-year wait for his first career win, beating Italy’s Guido Migliozzi in a playoff in his 478th start. Bland, who started the final round three shots off the lead, carding a 6-under 66 to force the playoff. He became the oldest first-time winner in the Tour’s history at the age of 48 years and 101 days. “It’s still difficult to put into words how much getting that first win means to me,” said Bland. “The main feeling I still have is one of satisfaction.” The DPWT announced Monday that the British Masters will be the first event in a four-tournament mini-series (also including the Soudal Open, Dutch Open and Porsche European Open,) with the top 10 aggregate points earners not otherwise exempt earning spots in the field at the 2022 U.S. Open at The Country Club, Brookline. This year marks the third consecutive year the European Qualifying Series has taken place in this format after having previously been a 36-hole European Final Qualifying event.

The 48-year-old Englishman finished birdie-birdie to card a 4-under 68 on Sunday at Emirates Golf Club, tying with Hovland at 12-under 276 at the end of regulation. Both players made par on the first playoff hole, and Bland missed an up-and-down attempt for birdie on the second extra hole while Hovland two-putted for birdie and the win. “What a week #slyncDDC,” write Bland on Twitter. “Thank you to all for making it such a great week. Gave it everything I had down the stretch. Congratulations to Viktor. Thank you for all the support [and] messages.” Last season, Bland made 17 cuts in 23 starts and captured his first career DP World Tour title at the Betfred British Masters. He’ll tee it up this week in the DPWT’s inaugural Ras al Khaimah Championship at Al Hamra GC in Ras Al Khaimah, UAB.

Last week in Spain, the 48-year-old Englishman notched his eighth top 10 of the season as well as his second straight following a T-4 at the Dunhill Links Championship. It also marked the third top 10 in four starts for Bland and his fourth in his last six events. In fact, Bland has missed just one cut over his last 13 starts (15-for-20 on the season) and currently stands seventh in the Race to Dubai rankings. He broke through for his maiden European Tour victory in April at the Betfred British Masters. He’ll make his fourth appearance at Real Club Valderrama, where he’s made the cut twice with a best finish being a T-30 in 2017. He finished T-62 last year.

The 48-year-old Englishman moved into contention in Scotland following an 8-under 64 on Saturday, which put him tied for second and three shots behind eventual winner Danny Willett. Bland followed up with a 68 on Sunday to finish at 15-under 273, three strokes back. “The Old Course is somewhere I’ve struggled to get my head round down the years, but this is by far the lowest score I’ve ever shot here,” said Bland following his third round. He said he’s still riding a wave of confidence after earning his first career European Tour win at the British Masters in May, adding, “It reinforces that belief you have in yourself that you can get across the line when you need to. My game has stayed at a pretty good level since then.” On the season, Bland has made 14 cuts in 19 starts with seven top 10s, and he currently stands eighth in the Race to Dubai rankings. He’ll make his 16th appearance in the Acciona Open de Espana this week in Madrid, where he’s made six cuts in 15 starts with a best finish being a T-11 in 2016.