Richard Bland Profile and Career Earnings

*wins and career earnings current through January 2023

Richard Bland has one of the more captivating golf stories in recent history. After turning pro in 1996, Bland earned his way onto the European Challenge Tour for the 1998 season. In 2001, Bland earned his first professional win at the Challenge Tour Grand Final, which qualified him for the European Tour (now DP World Tour).

From there, Bland struggled to stay on tour. He needed to earn his card back via the Challenge Tour or Qualifying School in 2004, 2007, 2008, 2011, and 2019.

Miraculously, in 2021 at the Betfred British Masters, Bland won his first European Tour event. It was his 478th start on tour and he was 48 years old. The win qualified him for the following month’s U.S. Open where he became the oldest person ever to share the lead after 36 holes. He ultimately finished in 50th place.

At the 2022 Slync.io Dubai Desert Classic, Bland again challenged for the lead in an event but finished runner-up to Viktor Hovland. Later that season he had a good showing at the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play by winning matches against Talor Gooch and Lee Westwood. He halved his match with Bryson DeChambeau and would lose in the round of 16 to Dustin Johnson.

In June of 2022, Bland joined LIV Golf where he played in seven events and placed 22nd for the season.

While Bland has not won a major championship in his career, his best finish came at the 2017 British Open at Royal Birkdale where he finished tied for 22nd. His career earnings are $8,544,564 across all tours, including LIV Golf.

Richard Bland was born on February 3rd, 1973 in Burton upon Trent, England. He was married to Caroline Geere from 2005 to 2010. He does not have any children and resides in Southampton, England.

Bland has only had one swing coach in his time as a professional golfer and he is Tim Barter of Sky Sports.

Bland is a big supporter of Southampton Football Club of the English Premier League.