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Richard Bland says joining LIV Golf was “the best decision I ever made” and has appeared to rule out playing on the Champions Tour in the future, with the England golfer looking more towards semi-retirement.
The Cleeks player is still enjoying his time on the Saudi-backed circuit despite its uncertain future, and he currently lies tied for third at LIV Golf Virginia after a six-under-par second round at Trump National.
“Semi-retirement, it’s getting a lot nearer, and that’s fine,” said Bland, who has been a LIV player since its inaugural event in June 2022.
“I’m okay with that. I’ve had one helluva ride out here, and the best decision I ever made.”
Asked what the future holds, and whether he’s considering playing on the Champions Tour, he said it doesn’t look likely.
“From what I’ve been told, I’m not hugely welcome there,” said Bland, who won the Senior PGA Championship and US Senior Open in 2024.
“As far as I’m aware, I was never given the exemption. Well, I wasn’t given the exemption.
“I’m the only senior Major champion never to get that exemption, and that’s fine, I don’t have an issue with that.
“I think the Champions Tour have made it pretty now impossible for anybody to come and play.
“I’m not going to go chasing it. I’ll be 54 years old, but I’m going to be banned for a year anyway.”
Richard Bland won the US Seniors Open in 2024 as well as the Senior PGA Championship | Credit: Getty Images
Bland, who won the British Masters on the DP World Tour in 2021, his first and only title on the European circuit, which came on his 478th attempt, also has no intention of going back to Q-School.
Instead, he plans to pick and choose where he plays.
“I know it’s coming quite soon,” he said of retirement. “I kind of earmarked next year would probably be my last year of playing full-time, as I do right now.
“Then going forward, really kind of scattered, but play where I want to play.
“For me, the travel is the hard bit,” added the 53-year-old. “My body just doesn’t recover as quickly as probably somebody like David Puig or Caleb Surratt does if they’re on a flight for 12 hours.
“That’s been the hard thing for me, recovery, getting ready for tournaments.”
Richard Bland (right) and his Cleeks teammates in 2024 | Credit: Getty Images
The future of LIV Golf is up in the air after the recent announcement that Saudi Arabia’s Private Investment Fund is withdrawing its funding at the end of the 2026 season.
However, Bland is hopeful that the League will find a solution, and says he would love to stay involved with his Cleeks team.
“I hope that whatever we become in the future, that I can stay with the Cleeks in some form, even if it’s taking the TrackMans back to the clubhouse or something like that,” he joked.
“I would love to stay on board with the Cleeks in some way.”