The English professional golfer, Laurie Canter, earned the titles of the South African Amateur Championship in 2010 and the Spanish International Amateur Championship in 2011. Following this 2011 win, Canter turned pro the same year. This 34-year-old golfer has been the talk of the town regarding a singular confusion. Is he a LIV golf player? If so, how does his DP World Tour presence play out? Let us explore his memberships across the tours. But first, let’s dig a little bit into Canter’s life off the course.

Laurie Canter’s personal life

Canter was not a child prodigy. He only picked up golf after he turned 13 years old. Although he is a professional golfer now, he also played tennis for a short while. While growing up, he played against Andy Murray’s club. Moreover, he cannot overlook his passion for Bath Rugby either.

He has also enlisted it, along with wine and coffee, as his interests. The golfer is married to Anna MacAdam Canter and has a daughter, Hattie. Along with his golf posts, he also shares his family moments on his Instagram handle at times.

Laurie Canter, the winner of the 2024 European Open

Canter just won the European Open at the Green Eagle Golf Courses, which was held from May 30 to June 2, 2024. This marks his very first DP World Tour win. He has qualified for the European Tour on several occasions, ever since 2015. However, Canter often loses the opportunity to retain the exemption.

Unlike other years, 2020 was the first time he finished in the Top 10 at the Hero Open. It was the same year when he also earned a tied 5th place at the ISPS Handa Wales Open. Canter once broke a tournament’s 36-hole scoring record. He scored 60 and 68, making a total of 128, a solid 16-under-par at the 2020 Italian Open. In 2021, he was tied for second at the BMW PGA Championship, an event on the European Tour.

Canter has tried to play in the European Open since early on in his career. However, he was suspended and later fined when he initially joined LIV Golf. But, after losing his spot in LIV Golf, he returned to the European Tour and has finally achieved his very first win.

What is Laurie Canter’s position in LIV Golf?

Gaining a spot at the tournaments often turns out to be extremely difficult for Canter at times. Hence, after joining LIV Golf in 2022, he initially played in all eight events as a member of Cleeks GC. However, the following year, in 2023, he was ruled out as a regular member and entitled to be a reserve. Even though he still continues to be a LIV golfer, he can only play when a spot is made available by someone’s withdrawals.

In 2023 he could ultimately play in 11 of the LIV Golf events. Moreover, he even had the opportunity as Cleek’s GC captain substitute. Martin Kaymer, Cleeks GC captain, continued his recovery following his wrist surgery the previous year, and hence, Canter could replace him. The same year he also played for the Majesticks GC team, replacing another English professional golfer, Sam Horsfield for several events before his injury.

Canter could not make it to the regular players’ list in LIV Golf this season either. In December’s Promotions Event in Abu Dhabi, Laurie Canter lost in a playoff. The playoff was for the final spot on a team roster. Thus he remained a reserved player even in 2024.  But the promotion’s event awarded him one of the two wild-card places for the opening event of 2024. So far, he has participated in 2 events this year.

The golfer had once also explained his standpoint about joining LIV Golf in The Chipping Forecast podcast. He had stated, “It’s an incredible opportunity from a playing perspective, financial is obviously the thing that immediately, as a professional golfer, would draw you to that. $25m with only 48 people is an amazing opportunity.” He firmly established his comfort with Saudi money as he confessed to playing in Saudi Arabia before.

Canter’s career in other tournaments

Apart from the European Tour and LIV Golf, Canter also plays in the Asian Tour but has played only 5 events in his career. The 34-year-old English golfer has discontinued with Challenge Tour and the PGA EuroPro Tour. In a Challange tour event in 2019, at KPMG Trophy, Canter lost to Dale Whitnell. The latter scored a birdie on the second extra hole ultimately surpassing Laurie Canter.

What do you think Canter’s future in golf be like now that he has won his maiden DPWT title? Let us know in the comments below.