Canter's Masters debut a 'pinch me moment'

Masters 2025

Venue: Augusta National Golf Club Dates: 10-13 April

Coverage: Live radio commentary and live text commentary, with in-play clips across all four days. Click here for full details.

Bath's Laurie Canter has brought his whole family to Augusta to witness his Masters debut this week.

The 35-year-old wants to share the moment with the people closest to him after sustaining the best golf of his life to make the world's top 50 in time for the first major of the year.

"It is one of those pinch yourself moments," Canter told BBC Sport as he sat on the outside terrace of his rental home. Inside were his parents, his wife Anna and their two young children.

"It is such a tough tournament to get in," he said. "Getting in the top 50 in the world is difficult, especially if you're not playing full time out in America. So I'm really proud that I've managed to do that."

Canter played the 2022 and 2023 seasons on the LIV tour, but missed a putt in the breakaway circuit's qualifying event for the 2024 season. From there the Englishman needed to rebuild his career on the DP World Tour.

Initially his exemption options appeared limited, but he played well enough to keep getting starts before landing his first victory at the European Open in June last year.

He won again in Bahrain in February and was then runner-up at the South African Open. Suddenly he was a top-50 player and became the first golfer who had played LIV to compete on the PGA Tour in the Players Championship at Sawgrass last month.

Now he is trying to get to grips with the game's most glamorous tournament here in Georgia.

"I got to see the course on Sunday," Canter said.

"Which, with Monday being a washout, was great to get that experience because it does feel like it's a golf course you can't play enough.

"You have to take it all in as quickly as you can. Learn the golf course and then just try and apply it and go out and treat it like any other week, even though we know it's not…it's anything but."

This is why Canter has brought his family out for what is arguably the biggest week of his career to date.

"I remember the first time I made The Open," he recalled. "I was an amateur in 2010 and it was at St Andrews. I went in with that mentality of treating it like any other tournament, and thinking, I've played a lot of links golf.

"And I had a really tough week. It went really quickly and I missed the cut on Friday and I remember thinking I didn't even enjoy that.

"Since then, anytime I've had the opportunity to play big tournaments I just try to reflect on what will be a success for me at the end of the week.

"And as corny as it sounds, you reflect on the reason we are playing is to try and get in tournaments like this, and on the people who have who helped me get there.

"All the people I'm doing it for now, I want them here, to try and enjoy it and see me do it and hopefully play well."

Canter is looking forward to playing Wednesday's Par 3 Contest with his family in tow. Then it will be the serious stuff when he tees off at 15.59 BST alongside 2009 champion Angel Cabrera and Adam Schenk.

Cabrera is here for the first time since 2019 having served a 30-month prison sentence after being convicted of domestic violence.

"He was was one of my favourite golfers, I used to absolutely love watching him play," Canter said.

"Obviously he's coming back from being in jail. I guess from the tournament's a perspective, he's back and he wants to play and represent Argentina and he's in good form.

"I'll shake his hand on the first day in and probably enjoy watching him play."

The sun shone for Canter's Tuesday practice round, which was in the company of Ryder Cup stars Tyrrell Hatton and Shane Lowry.

The debutant said he could hear both players bemoaning shots falling into areas that they knew should be avoided at Augusta National. Canter is fully aware of the importance of precision iron play this week.

"It will be the first time I've ever played for that pin or that shot," he said. "As much as possible I've got to embrace that.

"I've seen the ball behave for the most part this year, so I'll just try to expand on that and give myself the best chance to hopefully put some scores together."