Richard Bland celebrates a fairytale success at the British Masters at the Belfry last year
Bland is daring to dream about making his first appearances at the Masters in Augusta
The 49-year-old makes his debut in the WGC-Match Play Championship in Texas this week
Ten months after his fairytale success at the British Masters, it is the Augusta version that Richard Bland is daring to dream about as he makes his debut in the WGC-Match Play Championship in Texas this week.
At the grand age of 49, the Englishman is acutely aware that four victories and a place in the quarter-finals will probably be enough to become the oldest professional to be a rookie at the Masters.
‘It will be all about getting focused on the task at hand and not getting ahead of myself and thinking what a good week could do for me,’ he said. ‘But in the build-up, of course your mind wanders.
‘I don’t normally watch a lot of golf on TV but I am one of those who is always glued to the Masters. Two or three years ago I couldn’t have even contemplated making it but now I’ve got a realistic chance.
‘I’m regarding it as a free shot. Nobody expects a golfer to make it to the Masters for the first time at 49, do they? Westy (Lee Westwood) will be there at 48 but he has been going since he was practically born. As for me, I’ve nothing to lose.’
Westwood is one of those standing in Bland’s way after they were drawn in the same group. Alongside them will be Americans Talor Gooch and Bryson DeChambeau. One player will emerge from each group in the 64-man field to form the last 16.
There are 19 ways in which a golfer can earn his Augusta invite and number 19 is by being placed inside the world’s top 50 when the rankings are published in the week before the tournament. With one event before the deadline, Bland stands 57th. ‘I quite like the fact it’s a match play event, even though I haven’t played one for a few years and they always feel a bit strange,’ he said.
‘If it had been a stroke play and you make a couple of double bogeys, you would be thinking that was curtains. But you can get away with a couple of bad holes in match play and still win.’
Bland arrived in Austin a few days ago for only the second event of his career in America. ‘I thought it would be easier to practice in the warmth over here than in England and I want to give myself the best possible chance,’ he said. ‘I played the course for the first time on Sunday and it’s really tricky in parts but I like that.’
Bland’s victory in the British Masters last May was his first success on the European Tour — or DP World Tour, as it is now known — and came in his 478th event.
What has been equally satisfying is that he has followed it up with a string of other notable performances. Last June, on his US Open debut, he became the oldest halfway leader in tournament history.
A chorus line member — at best — for his first 20 years on tour, he has also had plenty of top 10s, including losing to Viktor Hovland in a play-off for the Dubai Desert Classic in January.
Is there any part of him that wishes he was 29 or even 39, and enjoying such a breakthrough?
‘Naturally, but sometimes it takes you a while to learn your trade,’ he said. ‘I’ve enjoyed the journey and I wouldn’t change it even if I could. Right now, though, I’m determined to keep riding the crest of the wave that I’m on.’
Bland will defend his British Masters title at the Belfry in May in what will be his 500th European Tour event.
What he would give to be heading there after driving down Magnolia Lane and parking in a spot reserved for competitors at the Masters.
Shane Lowry made a hole-in-one on the 17th during round three of The Players Championship
Another special hole-in-one
Six days after seeing Shane Lowry’s glorious ace on the island green 17th at Sawgrass, I got to witness another special hole-in-one last Saturday.
True, there was no high-fiving countless spectators. Indeed, there were no spectators at all, unless you count the ace man’s three playing partners in the first group out on a stunning morning at Wallasey.
Fresh off a triple bogey eight and lots of muttering under his breath, 10-handicapper John Starkey stepped on to the tee at the fifth and took dead aim with an eight iron to a pin tucked behind the greenside bunker.
‘That could be in the hole,’ I said and, sure enough, there was no ball to be seen as the green emerged fully into view.
Moments later, John was picking the ball out of the hole. It was his first ace in 51 years of trying.
Thankfully, he did not feel the need to go all Lowry on us and chestbump his colleagues. ‘But I’m dancing inside,’ he said.
