Why was a LIV Golfer allowed to play and win on the DP World Tour?
Laurie Canter played in 11 LIV Golf events last year, and he also played in LIV Golf events four months ago. So why is he now allowed to play on the DP World Tour?
Laurie Canter can put several near misses behind him now he has finally entered the winner’s circle on the DP World Tour.
The Englishman, who had four runner-up finishes on his record prior to the week at Green Eagles, shot a final-round 72 to win the European Open in Germany by two shots.
Since last year, Canter has represented a rare case of having the best of both worlds. He has played in the LIV Golf League, the Saudi-funded circuit that has caused an ever-lasting earthquake in the game since its birth in 2022, and on the formerly-named European Tour.
But several LIV Golf players such as Canter, Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter and Sergio Garcia were given fines and suspensions after the DP World Tour earned the right to impose these sanctions through an arbitration case, as they violated the tour’s conflicting tournament regulations by playing in LIV events.
Westwood, Poulter and Garcia resigned from the tour to avoid receiving more punishment, but Canter kept his membership.
Speaking to John Huggan of Golf Digest last August, Canter revealed that because his DP World Tour membership category gave him limited access to events, category 18, he could play where he liked in the weeks when his membership didn’t grant him a spot.
Laurie Canter: LIV Golf player shines bright at European Open
Huggan reported that Canter served a seven-week suspension that finished after last year’s Genesis Scottish Open in July. His fines had also been paid by late August when this report was published and from then, he didn’t play in any more LIV Golf events in 2023.
Canter has played twice in the LIV Golf League this year as a reserve player, not part of either of the 13 teams. He is listed as a reserve player on the current LIV Golf roster along with Ben Campbell and Wade Ormsby who also don’t belong to teams. He competed in Mayakoba from February 2-4 and Las Vegas from February 8-10.
In those same weeks on the DP World Tour were the Bahrain Championship and the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters, but Canter’s DP World Tour membership category 19 didn’t grant him a spot in either of those weeks and his name appears below the cut-off line on both entry lists. As his category didn’t get him into these events, there are no sanctions for conflicting events. Canter is in a sanction-free zone and can play on the DP World Tour.
“This is what I’ve always wanted to do: to win on the DP World Tour,” he said after beating Bernd Wiesberger to the title, a former LIV Golf member.
“Now that I’ve done it it’s going to open up some opportunities for me. If I’m going to try and climb the world rankings and get myself up and playing in the biggest tournaments in the world you have to know how to win and I think you only get that belief once you do it. Hopefully, it means I can push on and go from strength to strength.
“It’s quite difficult if you feel like you’re serially not getting it done to have that almost stigma around you. I know in my own self that I could win. My realisation was to focus on what my close friends and family are thinking of me and be more immersed in that versus trying to win for someone on Twitter. That’s probably helped me.”
This season, Canter has made five DP World Tour appearances this year and one Challenge Tour start from which he withdrew.
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Matt Chivers
Now on the wrong side of 25, Matt has been playing golf since the age of 13 and was largely inspired to take up the game by countless family members who played golf during his childhood.
Matt is a member at Royal Cinque Ports in Deal playing off a 5 handicap, just a pitching wedge away from his hometown of Dover where he went to school and grew up. He has previously been a member at Etchinghill and Walmer and Kingsdown in Kent.
Having studied history at the University of Liverpool, Matt went on to pass his NCTJ Exams in Manchester a year later to fulfil his lifelong ambition of becoming a journalist. He picked up work experience along the way at places such as the Racing Post, the Independent, Sportsbeat and the Lancashire Evening Post.
Matt joined NCG in February 2023 and is the website’s main source of tour news, features and opinion. He has reported live from events such as The Open, the Ryder Cup and The Players Championship, having also interviewed and spoken to the likes of Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood, Lee Westwood, Graeme McDowell, Henrik Stenson, to name just a few.
Consuming tour golf on what is a 24/7 basis, you can come to Matt for informed views on the game and the latest updates on the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, LPGA Tour, Ladies European Tour and LIV Golf.
What’s in Matt’s bag: Cobra LTDx LS driver, Cobra LTDx 3-wood, TaylorMade P7MC irons, Ping Glide 4.0 wedges, Odyssey putter.
