CUMBERWELL Park pro Laurie Canter gave his 2017 campaign a boost by finishing inside the top 10 at the Dimension Data Pro-Am event in South Africa today.

Canter, who has embarked on his second season as a member of the European Tour, finished tied eight at Fancourt as 1999 Open champion Paul Lawrie lifted the Sunshine Tour event title.

The 27 year old, who plays out of the Cumberwell Park club near Bradford on Avon, was the first round leader on Thursday after an opening eight-under-par round of 64.

Although unable to replicate that form over the next two days, with rounds of 73 and 69, Canter added a 71 today to finish just three shots behind playing partner Lawrie to earn a check for around 92,000 Rand.

Canter will join Wiltshire ace Jordan Smith in the field for the Joburg Open, which gets under way at the Royal Johannesburg & Kensington Golf Club on Thursday, with Wiltshire's two-time Ryder CUp star David Howell also set to feature.

Canter's Cumberwell Park clubmate Steve Surry, who missed the cut at Fancourt, could also get into the field if he comes through Tuesday's qualifying competition at Houghton Golf Club.

European Tour rookie Smith, from Derry Hill, picked up another 12,000 Euros to cement his fine start to his first season at the top table at the ISPA HANDA World Super 6 event in Perth, Australia, at the weekend.

Smith, who plays out of the Bowood club near Calne, narrowly failed to make the matchplay stages of the new-look inaugural event, but already has two top 10 finishes on the European Tour this season.