The golf world was already in a frenzy after Richard Bland won the U.S. Senior Open Championship. The 51-year-old finished with a total of 13-under-par after forcing a playoff against Hiroyuki Fujita. While the praise for his second consecutive senior major win was already there, later the golfer also shared something surprising.

Following his dramatic win at the Newport Country Club, Richard Bland joined the press conference and was asked “Where would you say Richard Bland, the golfer, is before you had the good run at Torrey Pines at the U.S. Open and where you’re at now?” In response, he started with a comparison of how he’s better from the past and said “Yeah, I’m a way better golfer than I was back then, but I think that’s the caliber of players that I’m playing against on LIV.”

While doing so Richard Bland also credited other LIV golfers and believed it was because of them, that he managed to come this far. He added “To play against Bryson, who won just the other week at Pinehurst, to play against him, to play against Jon Rahm, Cam Smith, D.J., Brooks, they’re the best players in the world. I don’t care what the world ranking says.” 

Interestingly, he also discussed how pros like Bryson DeChambeau compel him to bring his best game and how competing against them has elevated his performance. “I can’t bring my C game, and it won’t stack up against those. It just elevates my game, and I think it’s done that unbelievably over the last three years,” said the 2x senior major champion. He joined the Saudi-funded league in 2022 and mentioned, “Obviously, I’m now committed to LIV.” 

Ever since, competing with younger players has helped him become the golfer he is today—the one who wins major championships. He concluded by saying, “It’s just made me a better player. You’re not always going to be playing your best golf, but I’m the best player I’ve ever been.” While Bland appreciated DeChambeau and thanked LIV for making him a better player, it seems that praise is in order for the LIV players, especially the two-time US Open winner.

LIV Golf’s longing nemesis praised Bryson DeChambeau

Following DeChambeau’s win over Rory McIlroy at Pinehurst, Golf Channel analyst Chamblee also appreciated the champion. This was certainly surprising since Chamblee has been against the Saudi-backed league ever since its inception. Chamblee wrote on his X, “Maybe listen a little bit closer. Bryson is one of the best things to ever happen to golf,” when asked about his thoughts on the 2024 US Open Champion.

Further adding the influence of the scientist in the game of golf, Chamblee added, “He’s a reminder that professional golf isn’t just about putting a number on the board but giving back to those that pay for their purses and privilege by fulfilling every media obligation, going beyond and further, and giving the fans who stand in line and pay extravagant prices to watch them, more than they could’ve imagined.”

While talking about the merger, Rory McIlroy also praised LIV golfers and said that it would be a clash of the best golfers if the unification happened. “We’re probably still quite a long ways from it, but I would hope that in the future that we can get there, unify the game and get the best players back together again,” said the Northern Irishman.

Do you also think that the LIV golfers are the best players, more than the PGA Tour pros? Or does the league or Tour don’t matter, and it’s about the talent? Share your thoughts in the comments below!