Archer on target to rake in vital cash; GOLF.

Byline: Mark Garrod

TWO years after being an unbeaten member of the winning Britain and Ireland team at the Seve Trophy, England's Phillip Archer is battling to keep his European Tour career afloat.

The 37-year-old was set to resume the Austrian Open in Vienna in joint fourth place today, an opening six-under-par 65 having left him just two behind compatriot Benn Barham.

For both of them there can be no relaxing - Archer is 156th on the Tour money list and Barham 175th.

Only the top 115 at the end of the season keep their cards.

"I'm quite a bit back and need to get some money on the board," said Archer, who made ten trips to the qualifying school before establishing himself.

"I've been playing well and not scoring. I started working again with Karl Morris, a psychologist I was with a few years ago, and he has got me a little more level and patting myself on the back when I hit a good shot.

"I've put a lot of work in the last four weeks and changed my swing a little. I'm starting to feel confident and taking on the shots with it."

The one setback he had yesterday was a drive into the trees on the long 15th. "I found five Titleist 4s, but none of them was mine.

"I made a good six with a birdie on the second ball, though, and that set me up for a good finish."

Barham, who equalled the lowest round of his Tour career with his 63, said: "This time of year you have no choice - either knuckle down and play well to keep your card or go somewhere else, which I am not thinking about.

"I've been playing well the last four or five weeks, so this is not a freak round."

Sandwiched between him and Archer were Scotland's Scott Drummond and Australian Brett Rumford.

Drummond has been exempt the last five seasons through his victory in the Tour's flagship PGA Championship at Wentworth, but the pressure is on again and he finds himself 158th on the Order of Merit.