England’s Richard Bland carded a closing 63 to win the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship on Sunday.
Playing in his first senior event, Bland bounced back from a third round of 74 to finish 17 under par at Harbor Shores Resort in Michigan, three shots ahead of Australia’s Richard Green.
Bland won his first DP World Tour event in his 478th start in the 2021 British Masters at The Belfry.
The 51-year-old joined LIV Golf during its debut season in 2022.
New Zealand’s Greg Chalmers, who shared the 54-hole lead with Ernie Els, finished third on 13 under par, with Els two strokes further back in a tie for sixth.
Defending champion Steve Stricker finished eighth on 10 under.
“The British Masters was very special at 48. This is right up there. I couldn’t be happier,” Bland said. “I’m going to celebrate the hell out of this one.”
An emotional Bland dedicated his win to his brother Heath, who was diagnosed with stomach cancer just over a year ago and learned last week he had cancer in the lungs.
“He got diagnosed with cancer about 14 months ago and he’s just been diagnosed with lung cancer last week, so this isn’t mine, it’s his,” Bland said as he fought back tears during the trophy presentation.
“That’s all this week was. I just wanted to win for him so bad.”
