LIV Golf founding member takes big step towards joining PGA Tour with huge fines paid

Laurie Canter is making a strong bid for PGA Tour membership after the 34-year-old decided to depart the LIV Golf breakaway league earlier this year following its launch in 2022

Laurie Canter is on the brink of making history as the first LIV Golf player to join the PGA Tour. The Bath-born golfer was a founding member of the breakaway tour when it launched in 2022, and he played two LIV events at the start of this season as a reserve player.

However, the 34-year-old has since returned to the DP World Tour with impressive results.

Canter clinched victory at the European Open in Germany in May, and had three top-10 finishes under his belt heading into this week’s Irish Open. The Englishman has made an exceptional start at Royal County Down, sitting just one shot behind leader Rory McIlroy at five-under-par early in his third round on Saturday.

His strong performances have propelled him towards the top end of the Race to Dubai rankings, with the top-10 players at the end of the season earning full PGA Tour membership.

Currently, Canter sits 16th in the rankings, but five of the players above him in the season-long order of merit already hold PGA Tour cards. With a promising performance on the horizon in Northern Ireland, Canter is poised to move into the top 10 with just a few events remaining before the DP World Tour Championship in November.