Richard Green plays from the 11th tee on Monday morning – image USGA
Richard Green has finished in 3rd place at the US Senior Open at the Newport Country Club on Rhode Island, finishing three shots behind the playoff between England’s Richard Bland and Japan’s Hiroyuki Fujita.
Returning to the course early on Monday to complete a weather-disrupted final round, Green was unable to advance his score of Sunday evening and in the remaining eight holes he dropped two shots to finish with a round of 1 over 71 and a 72-hole total of 10 under par.
Still, for Green this finish adds to his impressive runner-up finish at the Senior PGA Championship and the US$255,000 he earns takes him into 5th place in the Schwab Cup standings with season’s earnings of US$965,000.
Green got within two shots of Fujita at one stage over the closing nine holes but it would be LIV golfer Bland who stole the show with a final round of 66 to catch Fujita who dropped three shots in his first four holes once play recommenced at 8.00 am on Monday.
“Good week,” said Green. “It was a tough week mentally to compete and challenge myself to try and win the U.S. Senior Open. It was trying conditions today with a completely opposite wind direction, which made some holes play totally different. Required a lot of different strategy and a lot more thought into how we were going to go about getting it done.
“As much as I’ve tried to press, golf doesn’t usually allow you to press, does it? You’ve got to do well and let the birdies come to you, if they come to you. Those didn’t come.
“Got a little bit frustrated on 16 and hit a putt too hard. Other than that, I’m pretty pleased how I got through the last hole. The last hole was very challenging. A bit of great up-and-down to finish it off.”
The playoff between Bland and Fujita lasted four holes before Bland would par the final hole to edge out Fujita who had been in front since his opening 63 on Thursday.
Cameron Percy and Steve Alker were the next best of the Australasians in a share of 12th place.
Richard Bland his second senior major in 2024 – image USGA
