England’s Richard Bland won on his senior major debut with an eight-under final round securing the LIV Golf player the Senior PGA Championship.

Bland, 51, finished on 18 under for the event at Harbor Shores in Michigan – three strokes clear of Australia’s Richard Green – with an eagle at the par-five 15th seeing him snatch the lead from another Australian, Greg Chalmers.

After a delay caused by storms, Bland went on to par his final three holes and sign for a 63, with Chalmers finishing four shots back on 13 under after bogeying his last three holes during a three-under 68.

Defending champion Steve Stricker finished eighth on 10 under.

Bland won his first DP World Tour event in his 478th start, at the 2021 British Masters at The Belfry, and then opted to join LIV Golf in its debut season in 2022.

He said after his win on Sunday: “The British Masters was very special at 48. This is right up there. I couldn’t be happier. I’m going to celebrate the hell out of this one.

“This is my first event. I was interested to see if I brought my game how it would stack up against these guys. Thankfully, it does.”

Bland was in tears during the trophy presentation as he thought about brother Heath, who was diagnosed with stomach cancer just over a year ago and learned last week he had cancer in the lungs.

“I just wanted to win for him so bad,” said an emotional Bland. “This trophy isn’t mine, it’s his.”

The Englishman’s victory makes him exempt for the US Senior Open in Rhode Island from June 27-30, one week after he competes in LIV Golf Nashville.

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