LIV Golf Star Refuses to Pay £788,000 DP World Tour Fines

Richard Bland, a prominent player in LIV Golf, has declared that he has no intention of paying the £788,000 ($1 million) fines levied by the DP World Tour. Bland, along with several other players, faced penalties for participating in LIV Golf events, which conflicted with the European circuit’s tournaments.

After joining the LIV Golf circuit in 2022, Bland became subject to fines and suspensions from the DP World Tour. The Wentworth-based circuit penalized its members who participated in conflicting events. Subsequently, Bland, along with notable players like Ian Poulter, Sergio Garcia, and Lee Westwood, resigned from the DP World Tour.

This resignation had significant consequences for Bland, costing him the opportunity to compete in the senior Grand Slam earlier this year. Despite winning both the Senior PGA Championship in May and the US Senior Open in June, Bland could not participate in the Senior Open at Carnoustie. The event was co-sanctioned by the DP World Tour and R&A, and Bland’s unpaid fines and lack of membership prevented his entry.

Bland has made it clear that he does not plan to settle the fines, acknowledging that his career with the DP World Tour is effectively over. “I knew my DP World Tour career was finished once I joined LIV,” Bland stated ahead of the International Series England event on the Asian Tour. “I didn’t see the point in paying them $1 million for something I’m never going to compete in again.”

Although missing the Senior Open was a disappointment, Bland accepts the situation. “It would have been nice to aim for three majors, and Carnoustie is one of my favorite courses,” he reflected. “I would have felt very confident going into that event.”

Even if Bland were allowed to compete in the Senior Open, he faced a scheduling conflict with the LIV Golf UK event at JCB Golf and Country Club. However, Bland affirmed his commitment to LIV Golf, stating that his