Lee Westwood hits out at PGA Tour rule after former LIV Golf player earns his card for 2026

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The Race to Dubai was not the only prize up for grabs at the DP World Tour Championship on Sunday, with 10 PGA Tour cards also on the line.

As part of the strategic alliance between the DP World Tour and the PGA Tour, the 10 best players on the European circuit without a card stateside earn their place at golf’s top table for the following year.

One of those who will be heading down that path in 2026 is Laurie Canter, with the Englishman finishing seventh in the Race to Dubai.

Lee Westwood reacts as Laurie Canter earns his PGA Tour card for 2026

Of course, Canter’s promotion is significant as he will become the first former LIV Golf player to earn a PGA Tour card.

Canter played at The Players Championship earlier this year having forced his way into the top 50 in the world rankings. And he will be able to play full-time in the States next season.

However, there was a time when Canter was banned by the PGA Tour having played on LIV. In fact, the ban expired shortly before he featured at TPC Sawgrass.

Phil Mickelson congratulated Canter on earning his card for next year. And Lee Westwood has now taken to social media to celebrate his countryman.

He did, however, hit out at the PGA Tour rule which would have initially prevented Canter from playing had he been in the same boat 12 months ago.

Laurie Canter bucks the trend of former LIV Golf players struggling to make their mark

While LIV has not always enforced relegation, there are a number of players who have struggled off the back of losing their place in the league.

Hudson Swafford said he is banned from the PGA Tour until 2027, while Eugenio Chacarra ended the year 36th in the Race to Dubai.

Despite winning in India this year, the Spaniard will not be receiving a PGA Tour card for 2026.

Obviously, it is hard to know what the future of the game looks like beyond the next few months. At one stage in 2025, it appeared that a merger was imminent with President Trump involved in talks.

But Canter has shown those who lose their place on LIV that there is, as things stand, still a pathway to golf’s biggest stage.