Laurie Canter

Had his first top-20 in a major when he tied for 17th at Royal Liverpool last summer – and that after winning the 36-hole Final Qualifying competition at Royal Porthcawl by four strokes with rounds of 69 and 65.

Captured his first DP World Tour title at the recent European Open after failing in a play-off to retain his status on the LIV Golf circuit, which he had joined at its launch in 2022.

Canter first played The Open in 2010 at St Andrews as an amateur and later recalled: “It was a bit of a baptism for me. When you’ve played a bit of pro golf you know what to expect, but as an amateur it’s all new.”

He turned professional the following year, but it took him until 2017 to return to The Open and on that occasion he was part of a three-man play-off for the last of three Royal Birkdale spots from the Final Qualifying event at Hollinwell, which he survived at the third extra hole.

The joint runner-up to Billy Horschel in the 2021 BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, he secured his Royal Troon place on July 7 off this season’s Race to Dubai standings.

As a promising tennis player in his younger days he once played against Andy Murray.