GARY EMERSON must shoot in the 60s in today's second round of the Italian Open or start packing his bags for Tour School later this month.

The 39-year-old Salisbury-based golfer was tailed off 96th after struggling to a two-over first round of 74 in Rome yesterday.

If he fails to climb into the top 70 and make tonight's halfway cut, Emerson will finish outside the top 115 players who keep their European Tour playing privileges for next year.

The Broadstone tournament professional went into the Italian event 117th in the order of merit, £3,000 behind Stuart Little and just over £2,000 behind Gary Orr, the two men immediately ahead of him in the rankings.

Equally important, Emerson had to mind his back with players like Gordon Brand and Paul Eales too close for comfort.

But it ended up as a day of foreboding for Emerson whose card was wrecked by a double bogey seven at the 481-yard par five fifth after he had already dropped shots at the first and second holes.

A couple of birdies minimised the damage but with both Orr and Brand four under, Eales one under and Little level par, Emerson was losing the battle.

He has enjoyed three unbroken years on the European Tour after regaining his card in 1998 and last year was 78th in the order of merit, his highest finish, but this time round, even with £106,530 banked, standards have again risen and Emerson, without a really big finish this year, has fallen back.

In contrast, Hampshire's Justin Rose is riding high in seventh place but, after dropping three shots in his first three holes in Rome, he, too, was chasing his tail.

He did well to get back to level par before ending the day the way he started it - with a double bogey for a 74.