What if another LIV Golfer wins the fourth major of the season? Will it be counted as a four-major haul for LIV Golfers? Or just two? It depends on who you ask, of course. Richard Bland’s second major win of the season sparked a massive debate among fans. 

Bland netted second major victory in his just second start in the Senior tour. First, the British golfer bagged the senior PGA Championship in May. But that victory didn’t open the doors of PGA Tour Champions for his association with the PIF-funded side. Notably, that also was a cause of controversy last month. 

Bland’s victory came on the heels of Bryson DeChambeau’s U.S. Open triumph. Aside from that, 30-year-old Tyrell Hatton was also in the mix until a final-round debacle kicked him out of the top 20. But it won’t be surprising if DeChambeau or any of his peers hoist LIV Golf’s flag at Royal Troon as well.

But if that happens, will it be a four-major streak? Will Bland’s heroics be a part of that? Not everyone is ready to put Bland’s glorious moment on the same pedestal as that of DeChambeau. 

Senior majors are not ‘equivalent’ of regular majors, fans claim

Notably, despite the perception of 54 holes impacting their game, LIV Golfers have shown no sign of fatigue on the fourth day of any major. Brooks Koepka and Phil Mickelson didn’t at last year’s Masters. Neither did Bryson DeChambeau showed any signs of stopping this year. Some believe it won’t be different at Royal Troon. One user tweeted, “The odds are in their favour DeChambeau and Rahm the top 2 picks for the Open Championship.”

The U.S. Senior Open is only Bland’s second appearance in the Senior tour. Moreover, it went to a playoff, and that too on Monday. So, for Bland, who is used to playing for three days, it was two extra days of grind. But one that didn’t determine the end result. While not many disagree on that front, most of them argue senior majors can’t be considered at par with regular ones. 

“No … 2 majors 2 senior Majors The 2 are not equivalent,” one of them emphatically tweeted. Another noted the paradox of equating these two. “So that means if Tiger [Woods] wins enough senior majors to pass Jack [Nicklaus] he’s #1 all time?” “So for the first time someone cares about senior majors?,” another user sarcastically commented. 

Interestingly, LIV’s most decorated player, Phil Mickelson, never played in any senior majors. Lefty won four times from his only six starts at the PGA Tour Champions, but never showed any interest in the senior majors as long as there was enough fuel left in his tanker. Noting that one user tweeted that “senior majors are not majors. That’s why Phil didn’t even bother playing in them before he was banned.”

Richard Bland has netted five top-15s in LIV Golf this season. His worst finish was a 31 at LIV Golf Jeddah. The British Pro has credited the PIF-funded side and competing against the crème de la crème of Golf for his resurgence. While most laud him for the two consecutive victories, not everyone is happy about equating senior events with regular majors.