As the Ryder Cup heads back to the Big Apple in 2025, the infamous Bethpage Black awaits. The rowdy New York crowds are locked and loaded. For Team Europe, American soil hasn’t yielded victory since their epic comeback at Medinah in 2012. Now, with the biennial showdown approaching, fresh drama unfolds about the tour’s direction.

Richard Bland stands at the heart of this controversy. His journey from DP World Tour grinder to LIV Golf contender offers a unique perspective. He became the oldest rookie winner in European Tour history at 48. That British Masters victory came on his 478th try. Now at LIV Golf, he’s found another gear. At 51, Bland still mixes it up with heavy hitters like Jon Rahm and Brooks Koepka. He’s added two senior majors to his resume. These days, as Cleeks GC’s veteran voice, he pulls no punches about his former tour’s decisions.

Richard Bland’s latest stand

The LIV Golf veteran has fired another shot at the tour’s selection policies. The focus? LIV players’ Ryder Cup eligibility. Current rules keep LIV golfers from automatic qualification. They face a tough road back. They need a DP World Tour membership, four event appearances, and must clear their fines.

Bland’s spotlight falls on Sergio Garcia’s possible Team Europe return. Garcia’s stellar 2024 season has turned heads. The New York venue demands proven veterans. “You gonna need someone who in 2 respects; one who has got the game to handle that kind of pressure and two who is mentally good enough to handle that,” Bland emphasizes. He’s going to bat for his fellow LIV competitor. His words carry weight. Garcia’s record at Bethpage Black speaks volumes, including success at the 2002 U.S. Open.

His backing extends beyond stats. “I think if he doesn’t get very serious consideration then… I’m trying to get the proper word to say… it would probably have a negative impact, him not being on the team,” Bland states. The numbers back him up. Garcia’s brought home 28.5 points with a stellar 25-13-7 record. His foursome mark stands at 12-4-3. “You need guys that have been there and done it,” Bland adds. “And no one has done it more than Sergio in the Ryder Cup.”

Bland takes aim at a bigger target. He criticizes the DP World Tour’s 2020 “strategic alliance” with the PGA Tour. The deal sends their top 10 Race to Dubai finishers to America. “To give away your best ten players every single year is just the worst thing you can do,” he states. “You could have built the Tour around the Hojgaards, Tom McKibbin, players like that. They were the future of the tour and now you’ve just given them away.”

DP World Tour’s crossroads

The heat’s on for the tour to rethink its LIV Golf stance. The stats make a clear case. Garcia ranks third in the 2024 standings. He’s grabbed a win at Andalucía. Four more top-5 finishes fill out his resume. His scrambling leads the tour at 73.1%. He’s third in birdies with 195. That’s the clutch play needed for Ryder Cup pressure. LIV golfers have claimed five of the last fourteen majors since 2022. Their case grows stronger each day.

“If the Tour and PIF do a deal then every strength to DP World,” Bland argues. “They should have done it three years ago. The DP World for the last 35 years has been a world tour. LIV is a world tour. Yes, we play 50% of our tournaments in America but the other 50% are around the world. It makes perfect sense.”

His vision points to a clear solution. A partnership could create a global schedule. It might end these eligibility battles for good. The PGA Tour and PIF keep dancing around their deal. Meanwhile, Bland pushes for a simpler fix.

Golf faces a pivotal moment. These eligibility decisions will echo for years. Bethpage Black looms on the horizon. The pressure builds. Should the tour stick to tradition or embrace golf’s new reality?