Laurie Canter Set To Become First Former LIV Golfer To Make PGA Tour Start

Englishman, Laurie Canter will become the first former LIV golfer to appear in an exclusive PGA Tour event should he tee it up at The Players Championship later this month.

The ex-LIV Golf reserve player last competed on the PIF-backed circuit in February 2024 and has seen the year-long exclusion period for appearing at the PGA Tour's rival competition expire.

Now a member of the world's top-50 for the first time, Canter is likely to be invited along to TPC Sawgrass, with the PGA Tour inviting the leading half-century of eligible golfers.

After turning pro in 2011, the English pro spent much of his early career as part of the DP World Tour but featured at The Open, PGA Championship and the PGA Tour-sanctioned World Golf Championships before going on to become a member of the Cleeks during LIV's inaugural season back in 2022. At that point, he was suspended and fined by the Wentworth-based circuit.

Canter was a reserve player on the PIF-backed circuit throughout the majority of 2023 - before returning as a wildcard at the very start of 2024 - and also attempted to qualify for the LIV Golf League at the LIV Promotions event during December 2023 but fell in a three-for-one playoff.

The 35-year-old's final appearance with LIV Golf took place in Las Vegas during February 2024, where he finished T21st after a T15th result at LIV Golf Mayakoba in the event prior. Ultimately, he was replaced by Anthony Kim as a wildcard following the American's long-awaited return.

After confirming during the first half of 2024 that he was done with LIV and looking to resume his career back on the DP World Tour, Canter began the process of rebuilding via a handful of starts in Europe.

A former South African Amateur champion, it did not take Canter long to secure his maiden DP World Tour title. Canter triumphed at the European Open in Germany in June, a success which arrived on just his third full start since last playing as a member of LIV Golf.

The Bath-born golfer went on to secure four more top-25s over the remainder of the season and was later included in Team GB&I at the 2025 Team Cup. Canter's success began to drive him up the Official World Golf Ranking table, and a hot start to the new campaign ensured he maintained his momentum ahead of Major season.

Canter claimed his second DP World Tour win at February's Bahrain Championship, besting Dan Brown and Pabla Larrazabal in a playoff. Last week's defeat in a playoff at the South African Open Championship was another highlight result over the past 12 months.

But it was that runner-up finish at Durban CC which has proved incredibly vital in terms of Canter's aspirations to compete at the top and play Ryder Cup golf for Team Europe.

The second-place result took him from 53rd to 42nd in the OWGR - a position which will be good enough to receive an invite from the PGA Tour to The Players Championship, with the world's top-50 asked to attend.

Should Canter accept a tee time at TPC Sawgrass, he would then become the first former LIV player to compete at an event exclusive to the PGA Tour.

With a unification deal yet to be completed, PGA Tour rules state that anyone currently associated with the PIF-backed circuit is banned from its competitions while players are not allowed to compete in PGA Tour-sanctioned tournaments until at least a year after they last played in a LIV Golf event.

Given Canter's final LIV appearance was during February 2024, he is now be clear to tee it up on the PGA Tour and become a small part of golfing history.