LAURIE Canter has paid tribute to Bradford on Avon’s Cumberwell Park Golf Club for the support that helped him to achieve his European Tour dream.

The 26 year old booked his place alongside some of the world’s top golfers for the 2016 season after finishing inside the top 25 at the qualifying school finals in Spain on Thursday.

After several years plying his trade on minor tours both in this country and on the continent since turning professional in 2011, Canter can now look forward to teeing it up alongside some of the planet’s elite throughout next year after his success at the PGA Catalunya Resort near Girona this week.

The Bath-born player is attached to Cumberwell having started using its practice facilities seven years ago and insists his achievement would not have been possible without the club’s help, including them paying for his Q School entry.

“Ali (James), who runs the golf side of things (at Cumberwell) has always been amazing with me, since I was coming through as an amateur really,’’ he told the Wiltshire Times today.

“It’s a very forward-thinking club. They’ve got an outstanding short-game practice area there and as a professional, if you are trying to get better you need to be at the best course with the best facilities. I would say they are quite a way ahead in this area.

“They put up the money for my Q School entry this year so without their help, I wouldn’t have been able to even take part. They’ve been absolutely brilliant.’’

He added: “Cumberwell is established as a place to be and that’s got to help as well. It’s been good to have people like Steve Surry (currently playing on South Africa’s Sunshine Tour) spurring me on and hopefully this (his qualification) will help him too.

“There is a great bunch of pros at the club and a lot of good young amateur players making their way. You’ve got the likes of John Jacobs (PGA head professional) and Ben (Lloyd, teaching pro) and all the others who do such great coaching there.''

Canter’s new playing privileges will allow him access to as many as 20 events on the European Tour, his first being next week’s Alfred Dunhill Championship in South Africa, which kicks off the 2016 campaign.

He then heads to Australia, along with fellow Cumberwell touring pro Surry, for the Australia PGA Championship on Queensland’s Gold Coast, a week later in a whirlwind start to his new lofty career perch.

"To be honest it’s been something I’ve been working towards for a long time so I don’t really know whether it’s sunk in yet,’’ added Canter, who will take in Bath’s European Rugby Champions Cup clash with Leinster tomorrow before jetting south of the equator on Sunday.

“I’m still at that stage so I haven’t really looked at the task ahead of me. I’m just really enjoying the high and haven’t thought too much about it.’’

READ MORE ABOUT CANTER'S EUROPEAN TOUR QUALIFICATION SUCCESS,PLUS HIS EARLY PROGRESS IN SOUTH AFRICA IN NEXT WEEK'S WILTSHIRE TIMES AND AT WILTSHIRETIMES.CO.UK/SPORT