Rose starts strong in Portugal in big to revive his disappointing year

VILAMOURA, Portugal (PA) -- Justin Rose, unsure what the future holds for him on the European Tour, took a big step toward easing his worries Thursday with a 7-under-par 65 in the Portugal Masters.

Playing just his second event in Europe since last October, Rose is in a tie for second place -- two shots behind Italian Francesco Molinari -- after the opening round at the Oceanico Victoria Club.

Molinari equalled the lowest round of his Tour career and will now be hoping there is no repeat of what happened after his last 63. That was at the Irish Open in May, and he was disqualified the following day for signing for the wrong score in his second round.

In the battle for the Tour's top spot, meanwhile, Lee Westwood improved his hopes with a 66 -- despite being stung by a wasp -- as current leader Rory McIlroy finished with "only" a 69. He had been 4 under after five holes.

Two years ago, Rose won the Order of Merit and, at sixth in the world was Europe's leading light, while last September he won three out of four points in his Ryder Cup debut.

Now, with only one top-10 finish since he was runner-up to McIlroy in Dubai in February, he is 58th on the money list and, of more immediate concern to him, down to 62nd in the world rankings.

Falling outside the top 50 there means he could miss out on majors and World Golf Championships next season.

And that in turn will make it harder for him to remain a member of both the PGA Tour and European Tour, especially if or when stricter rules are brought in on this side of the Atlantic.

"I really want to and the Ryder Cup next year is a big drawcard," said the 29-year-old when asked if he will do whatever is required of him to keep his Tour card.

"But at the end of the day I've got to do what's good for me and my family," he added. "Florida is my base -- I can't say on my heart it's home, but from a practical point of view that's where home is.

"Dropping out of the top 50 puts me in a precarious position and my goal is to get back in it. Then I can play the schedule I want to."

Rose, who became a father in February, was therefore as interested as anyone to discover the outcome of Thursday night's European Tour Players Committee meeting, where the items on the agenda include a proposal to ask players to commit to more "core" events in Europe.

"It certainly would not make my life easier and I'm not singing and dancing about it," he said after a round spoiled only by a bogey 6 on the long 12th.

He was already 5 under when that came, and three more birdies followed, the best of them a 6-iron to 18 inches on the 463-yard last -- a hole that saw several 6s, a 7 and also an 8.

Unlike McIlroy, Molinari made the most of his fast start. After three birdies and an eagle in the first five holes, he then grabbed five more birdies in an inward 31.

One of those to take 6 on the 18th was Welshman Bradley Dredge. Back on the course where he won the World Cup with Stephen Dodd in 2005, he had just eagled the previous hole to reach 8 under, but then finished alongside Westwood by dropping to a tie for fifth.

Padraig Harrington was in the water for bogeys on the 17th and 18th having started on the back nine, but then covered the front nine in 33 for a 69.

Of more concern to him than those two shots was his putting. He went back to the club with which he won his three majors, but struggled with its extra length.

Alongside Rose in second spot are Scot Alastair Forsyth and South African Charl Schwartzel.

Ryder Cup Captain Colin Montgomerie had hopes of being on the same mark after sharing the early lead at 5 under with six to go. That has not happened for a long time, but he finished with a 68.

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