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<\/p>\nLaurie Canter missed out on an automatic place in LIV Golf 2024<\/p>\n
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English golfer Laurie Canter missed a five-foot putt to lose out on a LIV Golf spot after a dramatic play-off in Abu Dhabi.<\/p>\n
Three places in next season\u2019s Saudi-backed series were up for grabs at the event, entered by 73 players.<\/p>\n
Kalle Samooja of Finland finished top of the leaderboard at eight-under to seal his spot, leaving a three place play-off between Canter, Kieran Vincent of Zimbabwe and Japan\u2019s Jinichiro Kozuma for the two remaining berths.<\/p>\n
The Englishman had looked set to secure his place after finding the green in two on the first play-off hole, with Kozuma\u2019s drive finding the water and Vincent forced to lay up.<\/p>\n
But a three-putt from Canter and some excellent scrambling from Kozuma ensured that the group finished with matching pars, taking the contest to a second play-off hole.<\/p>\n
Canter then compounded his putting error by finding the water from a tough lie in the second, allowing Kozuma and Vincent to take the two places.<\/p>\n
\u201cTough finish today!\u201d the 34-year-old said on X, formerly Twitter. \u201cCongratulations Kalle, Kozuma and Kieran. Great ride you guys have coming up for you. Thanks for the opportunity LIV Golf.\u201d<\/p>\n
Canter gave up his DP World Tour card after joining LIV in 2022.<\/p>\n
Having spent his first season as a full-time member of the series, Canter was retained as a reserve in 2023 and subsituted in for both Martin Kaymer and Sam Horsfield at a number of events. The Bath-born golfer finished tied for 17th at The Open in July.<\/p>\n
His fourth-placed finish in the UAE means that he will miss out on the significant financial rewards on offer to LIV golfers.<\/p>\n
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Kalle Samooja has earned a LIV place in 2024 <\/p>\n
The 2024 LIV season will feature 12 regular season and two finals events, starting in Mayakoba in Mexico on 4 February. Last place at each event earns $125,000 (\u00a399,496).<\/p>\n
\u201cOnce I came here, I knew this was the only thing I wanted to achieve,\u201d said Samooja, who will become the first Finn to feature full-time in the breakaway series. \u201cIt\u2019s a big step forward in my career.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think we had the best three guys from the field to get their cards.\u201d<\/p>\n