Rose edges ahead

With the European Order of Merit title up for grabs Rose now leads the field and has a fourshot advantage over the Open champion after firing a brilliant best-of-the-day 68 in the second round of the season-ending Volvo Masters.

When they set off together in the final group at the start of the tournament Harrington was the one with the edge, leading Rose by the tiny but important matter of £461 in their money list battle.

It meant the 27-year-old not only had to finish at worst third in the event - that is what it takes for him and Harrington to go above table-topping Ernie Els, who chose not to play in Spain - but also had to be ahead of the Irishman.

There is still a long way to go but after a second successive 71 lifted him from fifth to second spot Harrington said he suspected Rose has a burning desire to take the title this weekend.

Despite his rapid rise up to 12th in the world rankings - he could even be sixth after the next two days - Rose has not put his hands on a trophy since the Australian Masters last December.

He's had a great year, but I think he's very hungry for a win,'' commented the Dubliner, himself a stroke ahead of thirdplaced quartet Graeme McDowell, Soren Kjeldsen, Miguel Angel Jimenez and Jyoti Randhawa.

Players are very much motivated by that. If he hasn't had a win he wants it all the more.

That's our hunger.'' While adding that a four-shot gap is substantial'', Harrington also has the experience to know there is a long, long way to go and while he tasted victory in 2007 for the fourth time in Morocco only last Sunday he added: I really want to win the Order of Merit.'' He will also feed off the fact that a year ago he was four behind and tied for 13th with only one round to go, bogeyed the first two holes to drop to 20th and then came charging back into the joint second place he required to pip Paul Casey for the number one spot.