STEVE Surry is hoping small steps will lead to bigger gains later this season after ending his lengthy wait for another tournament victory.

The Trowbridge golfer, who is based out of the Cumberwell Park club at Bradford on Avon, landed the Jamega Tour’s Royal Ascot Cup last week, his first event triumph for three years.

The 35 year old earned a cheque for £3,500 after his two-shot success and added a further £800 for a fifth-placed finish at this week’s Magnolia Park Challenge in Buckinghamshire, small but welcome boosts to his bank account as he sets about the rest of his summer.

“It was my first Jamega event of the year so it was nice to double up with a win,’’ said Surry.

“I don’t think I’ve won on it (the Jamega Tour) for a couple of years, so when you can go out there and get a win it gives you a bit of confidence going forward for the rest of the season.’’

Surry, who holds playing rights on southern Africa’s Sunshine Tour, makes the trip for next week’s Mopani Redpath Zambia Open at Nkana Golf Club, having spent the early part of his year below the equator but admits he is hoping for improved fortunes in the forthcoming one-off trip as he bids to lay the foundations for a successful season.

He failed to qualify for a number of African events before missing the cut at the Zimbabwe Open and finishing down the field at the Zambia Sugar Open.

“I was a bit disappointed with the co-sanctioned (between the Sunshine and European Tours) events in South Africa at the start of the year,’’ he added.

“But this (Zambia) is a good chance to get some cash in to fund the year, so there is a bit more pressure on it.

“It all has its own little pressures, but I played well on my last Sunshine Tour event out there, so hopefully I can do the same again. There is a decent prize on offer so it’s a target to aim at.’’

Surry will then return to these shores, hoping to build momentum for the season, which will include the EuroPro Tour’s GRENKE Championship at his home course at the end of next month and possibly a couple of events on Europe’s second-tier Challenge Tour.

“There are some good events coming up but it’s about trying to build momentum to get into them,’’ he added.

“If you can get a couple of good results it’s a bit of a snowball effect. Hopefully, a few more sponsors would become interested and that might open up a few chances on the Challenge Tour.’’

Surry’s Cumberwell Park clubmate Will Brown also finished tied eighth at Magnolia Park.