Italian Michele Reale stepped into compatriot Costantino Rocca's shoes today to shoot a 63 and take an early two-shot lead in the Italian Open.
Rocca was forced to pull out with a troublesome left wrist, so Reale's nine-under-par round, just one shot outside the Is Molas course record, lifted the home crowd and gave him a late chance to earn next year's tour card.
Reale, who is also suffering an injury to tendons in his right elbow, fought the pain to lead Swede Fredrik Andersson by two shots and Argentine veteran Eduardo Romero and Britain's Anthony Wall by three.
Defending champion Ian Poulter shot a 67 to lie four off the pace.
Reale languishes 201st on Europe's order of merit and needs to take the $150,000 first prize to keep his card in this last qualifying event of the year.
A mixture of fine putting and iron play has given him a chance. While Reale holed three sizeable putts among his seven birdies, he made an eagle two with a seven-iron second shot from 160 yards at the par-four fourth and three times hit into less than four feet to pick up further strokes.
"I need to keep playing like this because I will not have my card next year if I cannot," said Reale, whose brother Stefano is also playing in the tournament.
"The big problem for me is the tendons in my right arm and I really should stop playing, but I have to keep fighting for the card.
"I will probably have an operation in December. It has been with me for four or five years after I hurt it on the winter mats at a practice range."
The European Tour's penultimate event as usual threw up a battle between the strugglers making last-ditch attempts to earn their cards.
Ireland’s David Higgins is one such player and the Kerryman made a solid start to his tournament, carding a level par 72.
Higgins currently sits 122nd on the Order of Merit and desperately needs to make the cut if he is to retain his card for next season. A reasonable finish over the weekend, providing he negotiates the cut successfully, should see him safely through.