LIV Golf League pro Richard Bland has confirmed he’ll retire as soon as he leaves his spot on the breakaway tour
England’s Richard Bland has admitted he’ll more than likely retire from the game when he loses his spot in the LIV Golf League.
Speaking to The Times of London, Bland confirmed his days are numbered.
He estimates that he’ll likely leave men’s professional golf for good in approximately 18 months.
“Whenever I lose my spot on LIV, I think that will be me done, regardless of how I’m playing,” he told the paper.
Bland added: “I’ve got maybe another 18 months left and then I’ll cross that bridge.
“After what’s happened with Heath, and other people I know who are no longer with us or have health issues, I’m in a fortunate position where I can enjoy my life.
“I love what I do, I’ll never stop playing golf, but I’ve travelled the world without seeing an awful lot of it.
“I’d like to do that while I’m still fit and able, I’d like to go on golf trips with friends and just have fun without competing.”
2024 KitchenAid Senior PGA Champion Richard Bland dedicates his victory to his brother Heath #SrPGAChamp pic.twitter.com/iR0spcTVF4
— KitchenAid Senior PGA Champ (@seniorpgachamp) May 26, 2024
Bland joined LIV Golf in 2022 among the first wave of defections.
He has insisted throughout he joined the breakaway tour purely for the money.
But he stressed to The Times he was not given a penny to join LIV, merely the opportunity to play for vast riches.
“I wasn’t given a single dollar when I signed,” he said.
“I was given the opportunity to play and I’ve had to earn my place every single year.”
His performances on LIV have been impressive to say the least, with the now 51-year-old avoiding relegation in their first two seasons.
Bland currently sits 25th LIV’s standings with seven events left on their schedule.
To illustrate the level of his consistency, he sits above the likes of Patrick Reed and Phil Mickelson.
Highly-rated prospects such as Caleb Surratt and Eugenio Chacarra also sit below the Englishman.
Bland’s impressive play has even been highlighted by some of his critics.
Over the weekend, Eddie Pepperell tipped his cap to Bland after he claimed the Senior PGA Championship and dedicated the victory to his seriously ill brother Heath
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