CADIZ, Spain, Nov. 2 (UPI) -- Justin Rose was the only player to break 70 Friday and owns a four-stroke lead halfway through the Volvo Masters golf tournament in Spain.
The final tournament of the European Tour’s season will likely decide the Order of Merit winner. Rose is in third in the pre-tournament rankings behind Padraig Harrington, who is in second after Rose in Spain, and Order of Merit leader Ernie Els, who is playing this week in the Singapore Open.
First-round leader Graeme McDowell struggled to a four-over 75 Friday and is tied for third place with Miguel Angel Jimenez, Soren Kjeldsen and Jyoti Randhawa, all of whom shot one-under 70s in the second round. That quartet is knotted at one-over 143.
Rose had two birdies and three bogeys in making the turn Friday at one-over but showed form the first hole on the backside that he was going to contend for the lead. He hit his approach on No. 10 within 4 feet for an easy birdie putt and tied for the lead with a 12-foot putt for birdie at No. 12.
He added a birdie at 13 but needed a sand save for par at 14 and again saved par after missing the green on 15. Rose added a birdie on 17 to push his lead to four strokes.
