LIV Golf star Laurie Canter has hit out at the treatment of the likes of Ian Poulter, Sergio Garcia and Lee Westwood following their decision to join the breakaway circuit last summer.
The European trio of Poulter, Garcia and Westwood became three of the biggest names to join the LIV setup, but it has come with some consequences. All three were forced to resign their DP World Tour memberships earlier this year, having been sanctioned by the Wentworth-based circuit following their Saudi switch.
Poulter and co had announced themselves as stalwarts of the European Ryder Cup setup, having played a pivotal role in their continents' successes over their American rivals in recent years. This relationship with Team Europe however is no longer, on the back of their Tour membership resignation.
Not only can Poulter, Garcia and Westwood not play for their continent on the Ryder Cup stage, they have also lost the chance to captain the team later down the line, for now.
One man who has felt this more than most is LIV star Henrik Stenson, who was stripped of the European captaincy for next month's clash in Rome on the back of his move to to the breakaway league 13 months ago. This does not sit right with his Majesticks teammate Canter though.
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The Englishman finds himself in a slightly different situation to his fellow rebel players, as he is not required to resign his DP World Tour membership due to his exemption status, but he does sympathise with the decision of other members on the LIV roster. “It has actually never entered my head to resign,” he told Golf Digest.
“But the likes of Lee, Sergio, Henrik and Ian are in a different place. The extent of the bad feeling between the DP World Tour and them is a shame. They have contributed so much. Martin Kaymer, too. For them to be made to feel outcasts is not right. The argument that LIV is a threat to the tour doesn’t add up for me.
Laurie Canter currently plays on both the DP World Tour and LIV Golf (AP)"So I understand that those guys are sick and tired of it. If I was in their position, I think I’d feel the same. But being at odds with the tour didn’t sit well with me. So I was fine with the outcome of the disciplinary process.” Despite the ineligibility, one man who is hoping to return to the Ryder Cup fold at some point is Poulter.
He told GQ: "Having played seven, and been vice-captain at one of those, I have such a passion and a love for the Ryder Cup. I’m comfortable that I did a good job. I earned a lot of points for Team Europe, and we brought the trophy home five times.
“Hopefully, going forward, I can be part of a team at some stage. Maybe not playing, but if I can help to captain or vice-captain – or just be there for the young guys that need a bit of support, because they’re big, stressful weeks. They’re very demanding.”
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