CLEEKS GC CAPTAIN KAYMER TO MISS LIV GOLF MAYAKOBA; CANTER TO FILL IN

Kaymer was forced to withdraw during the final regular-season event last year at LIV Golf Jeddah due to lingering issues with his left wrist. He then missed the Miami Team Championship, although he remained in charge of the team in a non-playing capacity. He underwent surgery in mid-November.

“It’s four months now and the problem is the tissue takes a long time to heal,” Kaymer said Wednesday. “So I’m putting right now. Little bit of chipping here and there. But I still have pain once in a while. I have some good days and some not so good days. I guess that’s what rehab is all about.

“Hopefully I can start hitting golf balls in 2-3 weeks. That’s the goal.”

Canter played the final six events of the 2022 LIV Golf Invitational Series as a member of the Cleeks. The 33-year-old Englishman was one of the top performers at the Miami Team Championship, winning both his quarterfinals and semifinal singles matches, the latter against 4Aces GC star Patrick Reed.

“It was a given that he was on the team (as the replacement),” Kaymer said. “We talked to LIV and they were fine with it. He’s always going to be on the Cleeks team.”

Canter will join Graeme McDowell, Richard Bland and Bernd Wiesberger on this week’s roster.

Kaymer will remain at Mayakoba. “I can do my rehab here and my putting,” Kaymer said. “… It’s the right thing to be here and support my team.”