LIV Golf star Richard Bland assessed a one-stroke penalty and fined $10,000 for a violation in Chicago
LIV golfer Richard Bland was assessed a one-stroke penalty at the 2024 Chicago event at Bolingbrook Golf Club. During the opening round of the season's concluding individual championship, the Englishman was given a one-stroke penalty and fined around $10,000 for slow play. He reportedly exceeded the 40 seconds allowed time to take his shot, violating the slow play policy of the Saudi circuit.
In the official release about the penalty by LIV Golf, it was explained that Bland and his group, consisting of Charl Schwartzel and Patrick Reed, were given a warning on the tenth hole, their fifth hole of the day, for slow play. However, on the 12th hole, Bland took more than 40 seconds to take the shot and was notified by the officials about the penalty and fine.
As per the LIV Golf League's Pace of Play Policy, a player is given 40 seconds to take any shot, with an additional 10 seconds if they are the first to take the shot in the group.
Bland teed it up on the sixth hole for the first round the event with a par. He then carded a bogey on the next hole, followed by a birdie on the tenth.
On the 12th, his one-stroke penalty resulted in a bogey, and he ended the round with a total of 1-over. The LIV golfer tied for 21st position after the first round.
Meanwhile, Brooks Koepka shot 8-under and took the lead, followed by Paul Casey. Anirban Lahiri settled in third place, followed by Bryson DeChambeau, who tied for fourth place in a seven-way tie with Ian Poulter, Patrick Reed, Joaquin Niemann, Dustin Johnson, Henrik Stenson, and Lucas Herbert. The tournament will conclude on Sunday, 15 September.
Richard Bland was also handed a one-stroke penalty for slow play at LIV Golf Valderrama 2023
This is not the first time Richard Bland earned a penalty for slow play. Last year, at the LIV Golf Valderrama event, he was assessed a one-stroke penalty. In the second round of the event, while playing in a group with Dean Burmester and Sergio Garcia, the group was given a warning for slow play on the 8th hole.
However, they again fell behind on the 13th hole and 15th hole, Bland took around 84 seconds to take his first shot, exceeding the assigned 40 seconds, and was thus given a one-stroke penalty. However, last year, he did not receive a fine, unlike in 2024.
Earlier this year, Adrian Meronk and Niemann also earned penalties. Niemann was given a two-stroke penalty at the season-opening Mayakoba event for placing his ball in the wrong position. Meanwhile, Meronk, who is playing his first season on the Saudi circuit, was handed a one-stroke penalty for slow play at the LIV Golf Jeddah event.