Golf: Rose blooms in title bid

Nov 3 2007 by Our Correspondent, Western Mail

JUSTIN ROSE and Padraig Harrington will go head-to-head for the second time in three days at Valderrama today – but with one big difference from their opening round duel.

With the European Order of Merit title up for grabs Rose now leads the field and has a four-shot 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 November.

“He’s had a great year, but I think he’s very hungry for a win,” commented the Dubliner, himself a stroke ahead of third-placed 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 in the battle for this year’s crown.