Laurie Canter has returned to LIV Golf for the 2026 season with Majesticks GC, turning down a PGA Tour card he earned through the DP World Tour. The Englishman cited family priorities in Dubai and the league's global schedule as key factors in his decision. He plans to play select DP World Tour events despite potential fines.
Laurie Canter, who first joined LIV Golf in 2022 and earned $5.6 million across 20 events before being dropped for Anthony Kim, made a notable comeback to the league this winter. Speaking from Dubai, where he relocated with his family last year, Canter described his choice as a "selfish decision" focused on his career and loved ones. "Since I’ve had a family, my thinking has to go beyond me as a golfer," he told Today's Golfer. "We’re already in an innately very selfish sport. I think when you have kids, that selfishness has to extend from yourself to your immediate family."
Canter's path back to LIV followed a strong return to the DP World Tour, where LIV cleared his fines for past participation. He secured victories at the European Open in June 2024 and the Bahrain Championship in March 2025, propelling him to seventh in the Race to Dubai standings. This performance earned him one of 10 PGA Tour cards at the DP World Tour Championship in November 2025. Despite this milestone, Canter opted against moving to the United States, preferring LIV's worldwide events. "LIV especially, with the 14 events, goes to America... and then goes to every territory in the world to play golf," he explained. "For someone like me who lives in Dubai, it’s perfect."
Now with Majesticks GC, co-captained by Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter, Canter aims to balance LIV commitments with up to 26-27 events annually, including International Series on the Asian Tour and majors like the PGA Championship and The Open at Royal Birkdale. However, resuming DP World Tour play could incur fines exceeding £1 million, as LIV no longer subsidizes them. "That’s a big financial penalty," Canter acknowledged, noting ongoing discussions with the tour. Early 2026 LIV results have been modest—a tie for 37th in Riyadh and 53rd in Adelaide—but he remains optimistic about his improved game, honed alongside figures like Phil Mickelson and Cameron Smith.
Westwood praised Canter's resilience: "He fell off LIV but went back to the European Tour and he’s really showed some resilience and robustness and changed his game round." Canter's journey underscores the evolving dynamics in professional golf amid ongoing tensions between tours.
