LIV Golf wildcard hails "best experience" thanks to Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter
LIV Golf star Laurie Canter has hailed the impact Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter and Henrik Stenson have had on his career, after opting to make the move to the breakaway league.
Canter is one of LIV's original members, having competed in the league's maiden event at Centurion in June 2022, alongside both Poulter and Westwood. And the Englishman was able to form a tight bond with his fellow countrymen, after being drafted by the pair as part of the Majesticks setup.
Despite not securing a permanent spot on the roster the following year, Canter was given the chance to return as an injury replacement partway through the 2023 campaign, replacing Sam Horsfield alongside co-captains Westwood, Poulter and Stenson. He's also appeared in the first two events of this season as a wild card.
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For Canter, teaming up with three stalwarts of European golf was an opportunity too good to turn down. The 34-year-old told Mirror Sport: "It has been the best experience I have ever had in golf. I haven’t played on a team as a professional, but I have literally played from the middle of 2022 with guys that are my heroes."
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The 2023 campaign proved to be a tough one for the Majesticks, having been the only team to fail to get themselves onto a LIV Golf podium throughout season two. Despite the lack of team form, Canter believes being able to lean on some of Europe's best has only benefitted his own game.
"I think everyone would look at results and draw conclusions, but I think there are parts of my game that have moved on a terrific amount from the experience I have had," Canter added. "In a wider sense the belief you pick up from just being around them and seeing that I can do everything they can more or less, and that strengthens your own belief and resolve.
"I have had good chats with Westy. I think at the end of last year he took me out for dinner and over a couple of glasses of red just gave me his opinion on my game and how I can improve, just things he has seen in me that he has seen himself. For him to do that was great.
Laurie Canter teamed up with Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood and Henrik Stenson“I asked Henrik about iron play which was interesting. He is one of the best iron players we have ever produced. Then in the middle of the year I stayed with Poulter for two weeks in between events. I got to practise, see how he trained every day. They have all been so generous with their time, so I think the improvements I have picked up I think I will see them come off over time.
"I feel so much more confident in my golf game now and when I get those things right I can compete with the best players in the world.” And compete against the best in the world he did, after proving his worth against LIV's big names when taking a wildcard spot for the opening two events of 2024 in Mexico and Las Vegas.
Canter earned the two-event call-back after finishing as the next-best qualifier at LIV Golf Promotions last December. The 34-year-old was gunning for a permanent spot on the roster after heading to the league's Q-School in Abu Dhabi, but agonisingly missed out on a place in a three-for-two playoff.
The Englishman was clearly in no mood to rest on his near-miss though, after finishing T15 in Mexico and T21 in Las Vegas, winning just shy of £400,000 in the process. For now, Canter's attention will turn back to the DP World Tour having been able to keep hold of his Tour membership despite his LIV loyalties, due to a recent fall in the exemption categories.
His Majesticks teammates meanwhile have not been so lucky, with Poulter and co forced to resign from the Wentworth-based circuit to avoid repeated punishment for playing in LIV events. Whilst Canter respects the legislation put in place by the Tour, he does believe the absence of some the continent's biggest names is a big miss for European golf.
He commented: "It is a shame for European golf. There is no way of knowing who is right or wrong, that depends on how you see the world. I think it's a shame we don’t see the best European golfers, not only that, legends of the game. It's a shame they don’t play the European Tour, play Wentworth, play the British Masters, it isn’t good. But I can’t speak for the Tour. As part of being a member I am not going to slag anyone off. If they feel that is the right thing for the Tour then so be it.”
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