CUMBERWELL Park professionals Laurie Canter and Steve Surry made encouraging starts to their latest European Tour event in South Africa this morning.

Canter, who clinched playing rights on the tour for 2016 at qualifying school in November, carded an opening round of two under par 69 at the Joburg Open on the West course at the Royal Johannesburg & Kensington Golf Club.

A few hours later Surry, who holds playing rights on the South African Sunshine Tour, posted a one-under-par 71 on the East course.

Canter, 26, made a good start to his round with a birdie in the second, but was back in arrears with back-to-back bogeys at the next two holes.

He restored parity with a two at the short sixth and got back under par at the turn with another birdie at the ninth.

Two more birdies followed at the 10th and 13th before he dropped a shot at the 14th. and parred home.

Surry had an up-and-down opening nine holes, birdies at the first, fifth and eighth being cancelled out by bogeys at the second, fourth and ninth.

A steadier inward nine brought birdies at the 13th and 16th, with just one dropped shot at the 15th.

Swindon's two-time Ryder Cup star David Howell shot a six-under-par 65 on the West course to lie just one off the lead, held by South Africa's Justin Walters