LIV Golf star admits Saudi gamble ‘paid off’ after snubbing Donald Trump invite

Those who opted to move from the PGA Tour to the controversial breakaway league for financial benefit were shamed for their decisions, but one man claims it’s all been worth it

LIV Golf star Richard Bland says that his 2022 switch to the controversial breakaway league was “the best decision I ever made” after more than doubling his PGA Tour career earnings in a fraction of the time.

The 52-year-old, who won the U.S. Senior Open last year, recently gave Bryson DeChambeau a run for his money at the LIV Golf event in South Korea, where Phil Mickelson also played, after heading into the final day of play trailing by just four shots, but it wasn’t quite meant to be. It was another impressive showing from Bland, however, who previously attributed his turnaround in form to his switch to the Saudi-backed circuit.

Since making the move three years ago without receiving a penny in signing bonuses, the Englishman has never finished below 24th in LIV’s seasonal standings, and last year won the first two majors he contested on the over-50s senior circuit. Next up is this week’s PGA Championship, where he secured a place thanks to his win at the Senior PGA Championship last May.

During his time as a PGA Tour journeyman in which he required 478 starts across 25 years to land a win on the DP World Tour, aged 48, Bland took home around $9.2 million for his efforts. In three-and-a-half seasons with LIV Golf, he’s earned $16.5m.

Perhaps it’s no coincidence that the most successful patch of his career has come during his LIV tour days, but Bland has never shied away from the fact that his motivation for leaving the PGA Tour was for the money — and he has absolutely no regrets.

“It’s the best decision I’ve ever made,” he told the Daily Mail. “I was 49 when I when I decided to move to LIV, and I didn’t know how long it was going to last for. It could have been all over in one year. I had to earn my place, but I thought it was a risk worth taking.

Once I do decide to hang the clubs up, my life will be a lot more comfortable. I didn’t have the career that a Lee Westwood had, or a Paul Casey or Sergio Garcia. I wasn’t so financially secure that I never would have had to do anything else ever again, so yeah, I thought it was a gamble worth taking. Fortunately it paid off.”

Earlier this year, Bland declined an invitation to have dinner with U.S. President Donald Trump and other LIV Golf stars at his golf resort in Miami. The 78-year-old was set to welcome Bland with open arms, but it wasn’t meant to be, with the golfing veteran instead opting for an early night.