WINNING SCORE: 13-under-par, 275.

EQUIPMENT CHOICE:

DRIVER: TaylorMade M2 with 10.5˚ loft, fitted with Mitsubishi Chemical Diamana Kai’li shaft.

3-WOOD: TaylorMade SIM Max with 15˚ loft, with Fujikura Ventus Red shaft.

5-WOOD: TaylorMade Burner Superfast with 18˚ loft, with Mitsubishi Chemical Diamana shaft. 

IRONS: Titleist U500 (3- & 4-iron) and Honma Tour World Proto (5-iron to pitching wedge).

WEDGES: TaylorMade Milled Grind Hi-Toe (54˚ & 58˚).

PUTTER: Odyssey Tank Cruiser #7.

BALL: Titleist Pro V1.

FINAL LEADERBOARD

EQUIPMENT NOTES:

  • It was a birdie at the 72nd hole then a par at the same par-4 in sudden death that finally delivered the 48-year-old his maiden Tour win, with Bland relying on his accuracy and a mixed bag of mostly older models. Bland’s driver dates back to 2016, with which he is one of the shortest but straightest hitters on Tour, while his 5-wood was release in 2010 and his putter is from 2015. Not only does Bland stick with what clearly works, he continues to use the shaft model from when he first put each model in play.
  • Looking back through images of Bland on Tour, it is noticeable that many other newer products have earnt a trial only to be replaced by the models he has used for such a long period of time. Bland’s Honma blade irons are actually amongst his newest gear in the bag, the model part of Justin Rose’s brief time with the company as a staff player, and not dissimilar to the TaylorMade blades Bland previously used.
  • Bland combines with K.H. Lee to give both Odyssey putters and Titleist golf balls a double win weekend on the world’s biggest Tours, with Bland’s win the ninth from 14 events in Europe for the Pro V1 and Pro V1x.

QUOTE: "A big incentive for me this year was to get to 500 events and this will allow me to do that, which I'll be hugely proud of." – Richard Bland.