GRAEME STORM faces a fight to make the cut at the Italian Open after a frustrating opening day.

The Hartlepool Tour pro carded a four-over 75 during an interrupted first round because of bad weather in Milan.

Despite a birdie at the 14th he was unable to recover from hitting the turn in two over and – having started on the tenth - he repeated it on his way back even though he birdied the fifth too.

Barnard Castle’s Rob Dinwiddie is a shot better off after improving on a poor front nine by hitting three birdies at the tenth, 13th and 14th.

Both North-East pros are in need of doing well between now and the end of the year to secure their card for next year. They need to seal a coveted top 110 spot in the Race to Dubai rankings and lie just outside at this stage.