Bland maintains momentum to make U.S. Open history

Richard Bland continued his fairy tale 2021 Race to Dubai as he became the oldest 36 hole leader in U.S. Open Championship history at Torrey Pines Golf Course.

The Englishman made golfing headlines around the world last month when, at the age of 48, he claimed his first European Tour title at the 478th time of asking at the Betfred British Masters hosted by Danny Willett.

That helped him qualify for his fourth Major Championship, 23 years after his first and 12 years on from missing the cut at his only other U.S. Open appearance.

The week after Bland's sensational victory, Phil Mickelson became the oldest winner in Major history at the US PGA Championship and after rounds of 70-67 on the west coast, Bland was making history of his own.

He shared the lead with American Russell Henley at five under, a shot clear of 2010 Open Champion Louis Oosthuizen and another American in Matthew Wolff.

Spaniard Jon Rahm and two time Major winner Bubba Watson were then at three under but all eyes were on Bland, who was living the dream on a stage which he has spent most of his career watching from afar.

“I’m very proud," he said. "To lead a Major is always pretty special. I tied the lead in the Open in 2017 for a hole, so it’s nice to have it a bit longer than that.

“I’m a professional golfer but I’m also a golf fan. I love to watch the Masters especially and I’ve been fortunate enough to play (at Augusta National) with a friend of mine. There’s nothing like the back nine of a Masters.

“Hopefully if I can keep playing the way I’m playing, maybe next year I might be able to experience it. That would be a proper dream come true.

"I think any amateur golfer would probably give their right arm to play as a living. I think they might think something different if they did play it for a living, but I've always thought of it as I'm very fortunate that I can travel the world and play some of the best courses in the world and some of the biggest tournaments in the world.

"I'm certainly not looking at my career just now as sort of lack of success or anything like that. I just feel privileged that I can do what I can do.

To lead a Major is always pretty special. I tied the lead in the Open in 2017 for a hole, so it’s nice to have it a bit longer than that

"When times got tough and I lost my card two or three times, I think, 'what am I going to do, go and get an office job?'. I'm not that intelligent, I'm afraid. So it was just, right, okay, I've always been someone that can get my head down and work hard and I always knew I had the game to compete on the European Tour at the highest level. I've always known that."

Bland made the perfect start as he holed a 30 footer for birdie on the tenth and then completed a smart up and down on the 13th before dropping a shot on the 15th.

A putt from nearly 20 feet on the 16th was followed by one from around half that distance on the next for back to back birdies but he dropped a shot on the 18th to turn in 34.

Brilliant approaches to the second and fourth brought further birdies and a 12 footer on the sixth had him two ahead before he found sand off the tee on the eighth for a bogey.

Henley got up and down for birdie on the 18th and put his tee shot to seven feet on the eighth to lead on his own but three putted the ninth for a bogey.

South African Oosthuizen was the overnight co leader alongside Henley and, after bogeys on the sixth and 11th, he hit back with a 30 footer on the 14th and made the most of the par five last in a 71.

Wolff made one bogey and four birdies in a 68, while countryman Watson carded a 67 with seven birdies - including five in his last six holes - and three bogeys.

Rahm bogeyed the fifth but gave the shot straight back and also bogeyed the 13th before holing a bunker shot on the next and getting up and down on the last in a 70.

Canadian Mackenzie Hughes and Americans Xander Schauffele and Kevin Streelman were at two under, a shot clear of Italian debutant Guido Migliozzi and and two more Americans in Patrick Rodgers and Scottie Scheffler.