CUMBERWELL Park's Laurie Canter found the going tough on his return to European Tour action in South Africa this morning.

Canter, who earned playing rights on the Tour for the first time after coming through qualifying school in November, was returning to action for the first time in nearly a month at the Tshwane Open at Pretoria GC in Waterkloof.

But an untidy finish, with three shots going in his final three holes, left the 26 year old struggling on four under par and in danger of missing his first cut of the season.

Canter opened his day with a bogey at the first hole, but immediately claimed that shot back with a birdie at the second.

Solid golf took him to the turn in level par 35, but his second dropped shot of the day came at the 11th.

That still looked likely to leave the Cumberwell man within touching distance of the leaders until he suffered a horror finish.

Another shot went at the short 16th and Canter's day finished on a sour note as he double-bogeyed the final hole to come home in 39 shots and post a 74.

Canter's clubmate Steve Surry just failed to earn his place in the Tshwane Open field after finishing a shot off the pace in Tuesday's qualifying competition.