Laurie Canter is aiming to ride his momentum from winning the International Swing all the way to Race to Dubai glory as he looks to reel in Rory McIlroy at the top of the season-long Rankings.
The Englishman stormed to victory in the second of the five Global Swings with an event to spare, winning the Bapco Energies Bahrain Championship, losing out in a play-off at the Investec South African Open Championship and finishing third in the Rolex Series at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic.
Since then he has made his Masters Tournament debut and played in the US PGA Championship, and next week will head to Oakmont for the U.S. Open.
All that has helped to put him second behind McIlroy on the Race to Dubai Rankings and ahead of this week’s KLM Open, Canter insisted his season-long goal was now taking the Harry Vardon Trophy from the Northern Irishman’s grasp.
“I guess you don't know how many opportunities you'll get to really be right up there in the Race to Dubai,” he said. “I've got a legitimate chance to win it, I feel.”
He added with a smile: “The guy leading it is quite a good player! But I’m going to play more events than him in Europe so hopefully I can put a lot of points up and get myself in with a really good chance to have a shot to win it. Why not?
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“The beginning of the year I had a lot of momentum, I felt kind of like a cow running down a hill.
“Then going to the States with the new experiences, there was a bit of a stop-start nature to that for me. Because those were not planned things, my schedule has been a bit stop-start so I’m excited now that I can play here, I've got the U.S. Open and I've got a bit of a run of golf.
“I can set my sights on having a really good summer and playing well into the Back 9 and final swing out here.”
Canter’s recent starts in the United States have seen him miss three cuts in a row, albeit among stellar company at THE PLAYERS Championship, Masters and US PGA Championship.
And the 35-year-old insists those experiences have not dented his confidence as he looks to get back into the top 50 on the Official World Golf Ranking.
“I played the PGA a couple of years ago but the Masters was amazing,” he said. “It was everything I was hoping for and probably better.
“Not from a playing standpoint perhaps but as an event and getting to be part of it was awesome.
“You’ve got the confidence and belief of being around those events. I think that in itself is important for us as players to experience.
“From a playing standpoint, I got to play with an ex Masters champion (Angel Cabrera) and seeing how he went round the course and navigated his way around the golf course, it was always good to see that.
“I think coming back after experiences can only inspire you is great. It just makes you want to try and get back next year.”
