Bland withdraws from US Senior Open for LIV Golf: Jiménez and Cink favorites

Richard Bland, the current champion, will not defend his title at this week’s U.S. Senior Open. Instead, he will compete at the LIV Golf stop in Dallas, while the seniors face off at the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs. Bland, 52, announced his decision on social media, where he explained that he is committed to LIV’s 14-event schedule, with the aim of finishing in the top 24 to secure his place on the Cleeks team, captained by Martin Kaymer.

Richard Bland’s Statement

⛳️ @RichardBland73 is ready for the next stop on the @livgolf_league schedule in Dallas! #LIVGolf pic.twitter.com/3RFF88rNqE

— Cleeks GC (@Cleeks_GolfClub) June 17, 2024

The competition at Broadmoor, which hosts its ninth USGA championship, will begin on Thursday. This course has been the scene of historic moments, including Jack Nicklaus’ victory in the 1959 U.S. Amateur and Annika Sorenstam’s triumph in the 1995 U.S. Women’s Open. Bland, with a long career on the DP World Tour, won the British Masters in 2021 at the age of 48, becoming the oldest winner to obtain his first title on that circuit. That same year, he shared the lead at the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines after two rounds, finishing in 50th place. In 2023, Bland was denied entry to the Senior Open due to outstanding fines with the European circuit after his move to LIV. However, his victory at the 2024 Senior PGA Championship qualified him for the Senior U.S. Open, where he defeated Hiroyuki Fujita in a playoff at Newport Country Club, securing the title.

Without Bland in the competition, the favorites for this week are Stewart Cink, Miguel Ángel Jiménez, and Steven Alker. Jiménez defeated Alker in a playoff at the recent senior circuit stop.

Also participating in the tournament are two-time Senior U.S. Open champion Bernhard Langer, and Ángel Cabrera, who has already won two majors this year: the Tradition and the Senior PGA. David Toms was the winner of the last Senior Open held at the Broadmoor in 2018.