HAMPSHIRE golfing trio Justin Rose, Matt Blackey and Steve Richardson gave themselves a fighting chance of joining the 50 players who will contest the final stages of the Welsh Open at Celtic Manor tomorrow.

The leaders loomed large in Rose's sights as he reached the turn in three under par, just two behind the pace-setting Paul McGinley, Paul Lawrie and Gary Orr after yesterdays delayed first round.

Celtic Manor's back nine is as aweswome as the scenery in these parts. It's an up hill slog and Rose gave two shots back at the short 12th where he found a greenside bunker and the dogleg 13th where he missed the green and ploughed into some hilly rough.

But Rose is a fighter. He steadied the boat and parred his way home and his one under par 71 left in a challenging position on a day when less than a quarter of the field bettered par.

Hayling Islander Blackey is in good shape at level par, Richardson, slowly rediscovering his swing, has more to do at two over.

Blackey still seeks the killer touch on the greens. "I just missed two greens but only holed one decent putt - a 20 footer for birdie at the 16th."

Blackey, who still needs to earn over £40,000 to secure his playing rights for next season, had tap-ins for birdies at 11 and 13.

He had begun his first round on Thursday morning before heavy rain drove the players off the course after Blackey had manfully struggled to par the first.

It was still pretty wet for yesterday's early starters and Blackey struggled to the turn in 38, two over.

Former Ryder Cup man Richardson, boosted by his first good finish of the season in Sweden last week, showed he is putting his gremlins off the tee behind him.

He had five birdies in a two over par 74 but his short game, in particular four poor chips, prevented him scoring as well as he was playing.

Richardson had a nightmare run of four bogies between the 12th and 15th but kept himself in the tournament by holing long birdie putts at the 16th and 18th.

Salisbury's Gary Emerson mixed birdies with bogies in a level par 72; Andy Beal from Hamptworth bogied two of his last five holes to slip to two over.