Laurie Canter claimed a long-awaited maiden DP World Tour title with an emotional triumph at the European Open in Germany.
The Englishman entered the final round at Green Eagle Golf Courses in a two-way tie at the top of the leaderboard but made a slow start on the Porsche Nord Course, playing his first ten holes in one over par.
Canter held his nerve on the back nine with three birdies and two bogeys to sign for a one under 72 and finish on 13 under par, two ahead of multiple DP World Tour winners Bernd Wiesberger and Thriston Lawrence in second.
The 34-year-old has had four runner-up finishes on the DP World Tour, including at the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open earlier this season, and he was delighted to finally get over the line on a tense final day in Hamburg.
Despite a top ten at last week's Soudal Open, he was playing with a new set of irons this week and that decision has paid dividends as he moves into the top ten on the Race to Dubai Rankings in Partnership with Rolex and the summit of the European Swing Rankings.
"This is what I've always wanted to do, to win on the DP World Tour," said Canter.
"Now that I've done it it's going to open up some opportunities for me. If I'm going to try and climb the world rankings and get myself up and playing in the biggest tournaments in the world.
"You have to win and I think you only get that belief once you do it. Hopefully it means I can push on and go from strength to strength."
Frenchman Julien Guerrier and Dane Niklas Nørgaard finished in fourth place on ten under par, while Japan’s Keita Nakajima was a shot further back in sixth.
Dubai's Rafa Cabrera Bello finished in seventh position on eight under, while 2023 European Open champion Tom McKibbin, three-time DP World Tour winner Guido Migliozzi, English duo Tom Lewis and Dubai resident Garrick Porteous and American Johannes Veerman shared eighth on seven under.
The Race to Dubai now heads to Sweden for the Volvo Car Scandinavian Mixed, taking place from June 6-9 at Vasatorps Golfklubb.
