Richard Bland won't defend U.S. Senior Open title due to LIV Golf commitment
The field for the 2025 U.S. Senior Open Championship is set with 156 players ready to tee it up in the fourth of five senior majors.
But the event, being played at The Broadmoor's East Course in Colorado Springs, Colorado, is missing its defending champion.
Richard Bland is that defending champion, but he's a member of LIV Golf, which has a rule that its golfers must always appear in its events. A year ago, LIV had an off week at the same time as the U.S. Senior Open. But not this year. He said in a statement:
I'm incredibly proud of winning last year's U.S. Senior Open, a career highlight that I will always cherish. I'm fully committed to playing the 14-event LIV Golf schedule and honoring my opportunity with the Cleeks and the league, where my goal is to finish in the top 24 once again and secure my roster spot for next season. I wish the very best to this week's competitors at The Broadmoor.
Bland won two senior majors last year, as he also claimed the 2024 Senior PGA Championship. He tied for 14th this season at the event that was held near the end of May.
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