Richard Bland posted a 4-under 66 in the final round of the U.S. Senior Open, catching up to leader Hiroyuki Fujita after a rain delay pushed the finish to Monday morning. Bland then made a chip shot off the pin to beat Fujita in a playoff on the fourth hole, securing his second straight senior major victory.
The Senior PGA champion closed the gap on Fujita by five shots in the final round, which was interrupted by thunderstorms on Sunday. When play resumed on Monday, Fujita’s consistency waned, as he failed to hit 38 consecutive fairways as he did before the rain delay.
After tying at 13 under in regulation and matching scores in a two-hole playoff and on the first sudden-death hole, the golfers returned to the 18th hole for the fourth time. Bland’s bunker shot hit the pin and settled inches from the cup, while Fujita missed a 25-foot putt, allowing Bland to claim the victory.
“To win two majors in a row is beyond my wildest dreams,” said Bland, who also won the Senior PGA at Harbor Shores last month. “I was just hoping to contend in the PGA, but now to have two major wins is speechless.”
Richard Green finished third with a 71, one stroke ahead of Steve Stricker. Despite shooting 66 in the first three rounds, Stricker’s final round 73 dropped him to fourth place.
Fujita, who had led from the first round, hit an unprecedented 54 of 56 fairways in regulation during the tournament. However, his performance dropped on Monday morning, allowing Bland to take the lead.
Both players tied at 13 under after 72 holes, leading to a playoff that extended to four extra holes. Bland eventually secured the win on the fourth playoff hole.
Bland, a late bloomer in golf, has now won two senior majors in his first two attempts. His victory at Newport places him in the company of golfing legends such as Tiger Woods and Annika Sorenstam.
