STEVE Surry tees up alongside some of golf’s most famous names next week, seeking the result that could significantly change his career in 2014.

The Trowbridge professional, 31, secured a place in the South African Open, which starts next Thursday at the Glendower Golf Club in Johannesburg, after his best-ever finish on the country’s Sunshine Tour last week.

Surry, the touring pro out of the Cumberwell Park club near Bradford on Avon, finished tied second in the Nedbank Affinity Cup in Sun City, missing out on a play-off as home player Jacques Blaauw birdied the final hole.

It boosted the Wiltshire man to 60th on the Tour’s Order of Merit and, as well as ensuring he didn’t need to pre-qualify for next week’s £1.1 million Euros showpiece, gave him a real chance of moving inside the top 50.

The South African Open is a co-sanctioned event with the European Tour, for which it represents the first event on their 2014 schedule and Surry will be up against the likes of 2001 Open champion David Duval, 2011 Masters champion Charl Schwartzel, two-time US Open champion Retief Goosen and current world number three Henrik Stenson, the defending champion.

Surry told the Wiltshire Times: “Moving into the top 50 at the end of the year would be massive as that guarantees me starts in every Tour event next year, including the six co-sanctioned events with the European Tour.

“I was delighted to come in the top five (at the Nedbank Affinity Cup) and gain a spot in the SA Open, instead of being one of the 230 guys playing for 15 spots in qualifying.’’

Surry’s previous best finish on the Tour was tied sixth in March’s Telekom PGA Championship and he added: “My game was in good shape all round. The best parts were hitting the right shot at the correct time and holing a few nice putts when struggling.

“This helped me keep momentum going, as I only had three bogeys in the week.”

Surry hopes to enter two more co-sanctioned events, the Alfred Dunhill Championship and Nedbank Golf Challenge before heading home for Christmas.

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