For Richard Bland it was a vastly different experience walking onto the St. Andrews Links practice range early today than it was all of 21 years ago.
Firstly, Bland was aged 32 years back in 2005 when making his maiden appearance in the now $5m Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.
Richard Bland on the St. Andrews Links practice range 21-years after making his Alfred Dunhill Links debut. Image – GolfByTourMiss
Bland was actually contesting a 99th DP World Tour back in this very same week in 2005 and in only a third full Tour season and after having made his Tour debut in the 1998 Open Championship.
‘Blandy’ arrived back in Scotland having capped his 2005 year in August thanks to a share of 8th in the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles.
So, what’s it like returning to the tournament 21-years on since making your debut?
“It’s very different and terms of players I know here on the range? Well, there’s not so many I know”, he said laughing.
“Saying that it’s still going to be fun and I have been looking forward to this week for a while since I received the invitation, as Johann (Rupert) has always been good looking after the LIV guys with invitations”.
And Blandy vividly recalls that maiden Dunhill Links showing and his then playing partner who will again team with him this week.
“When I first competed in the Dunhill Links tournament back in 2005, and that was many years ago, it was kind of a stressful week as I was thinking about keeping my card for the following season while also looking after your amateur partner trying to make sure he was enjoying the week”, he said.
“Of late, I’ve been playing for LIV so this week is my first Dunhill Links Championship since 2022.
“Though I must say I have become very good friends with Pat Battle and my amateur partner from back in 2005 and he’s going to be again my partner this week, so looking forward very much to that.
CELEBRATING 2⃣1⃣ YEARS SINCE A FIRST @dunhilllinks ….
As one of golf’s long-time good guys Richard ‘Blandy’ Bland @livgolf_league relives that day this very week in 2005 & in a then 99th @DPWorldTour appearance of now 5⃣1⃣5⃣ Tour starts
“When I first competed in the… pic.twitter.com/J7LRMod6ZI
— Fatiha (@TOURMISS) September 29, 2026
“I’ve played a lot of good golf with Pat. He plays a lot of golf at Pablo Creek near Ponte Vedre in Florida. He’s also a member at Shinnecock Hills and plays a lot of the National Golf Club Links on Long Island in New York.
“So, it promises to be a fun week and looking forward to it very much as it is always a special week.
Battle is currently Executive Chairman of Diamond Baseball Holdings, which was co-founded in 2021 and operates some 49 professional and affiliated minor league teams in the US, while also managing investment firms in sport, media, technology, and real estate.
This week in Bland’s 515th DP World Tour appearance and in a Tour so proudly marked by a lone victory but a victory prompting tears of joy and emotion when winning a play-off at the 2021 British Masters at The Belfry.
As for this past season?
“I’ve struggled a little bit these last 12 months but though my career’s coming a bit to an end”, he said.
“I’ve just got into a couple of bad habits but then I’ve been trying to work my out. I’m still playing okay and I can still see light at the end of the tunnel”.
Does that mean Seniors Tour?
“Maybe not America so much but we’ll see”, he said. “I don’t know what the future holds right now but then I am not overly stressed about it right now, so that is nice”.
