The Merewether surfer, who tore the medial collateral ligament in his left knee five weeks ago, was second to Italian Leo Fioravanti in round three to progress and boost his hopes of making the championship tour.

The natural-footer, 16^th on the qualifying series before the 10,000-point event at Haleiwa, was second in round two when competing for the first time since injuring his knee, and he repeated the performance on Monday.

Cibilic, 20, earned a 5.5 from a flowing, five-turn ride on his forehand with 10 minutes remaining and the score lifted him to second on a best two-wave total 8.27, ahead of American goofy-footer Nolan Rapoza (7.47) and Brazilian Willian Cardoso (5.03).

Fioravanti dominated (15.17) to take the heat win and Cibilic hung on for second, improving his score in the final seconds to 8.4. Rapoza (7.57) and Cardoso (5.03) were eliminated.

"The knee is feeling strong," Cibilic said.

"The knee brace fell off at the start of the heat but I got it to the jet-ski driver, so I was a bit off my game but the knee hung in there."

Cibilic next faces Connor O'Leary, David Van Zyl and Wade Carmichael in the last 32, where he is guaranteed at least 2100 points.

He was on 13,850 points, with a throwaway of 450, before the season-ending two 10,000-point contests in Hawaii. Port Macquarie's Matt Banting, who was just inside the qualifying line on 16,750, bowed out in round three.

Merewether's Ryan Callinan, the world No.12, starts his triple crown campaign against Hawaiian Barron Mamiya, countryman Jack Robinson and American Tanner Gudauskas in the last heat of round three