Lee Westwood is back on course for a €1.83million jackpot on Sunday following a day of amazing twists and turns at the Dubai World Championship. The Englishman leads by two at halfway after a second round 69, but only thanks to late errors by current Order of Merit leader Rory McIlroy and then Pádraig Harrington.

Twenty-year-old McIlroy led by two after a dazzling front nine 31, but three-putted the 14th and 15th in coming home in 38.

That left Harrington in front, but he put two balls in water on the 620-yard final hole at Greg Norman’s new Earth course.

The three-time Open champion came off with a double bogey seven before Westwood birdied the same hole to double his advantage and move 36 holes away from a tournament first prize of over €830,000 and a money list bonus of €1m.

McIlroy is now joint second with Harrington, England’s Ross McGowan, Colombian Camilo Villegas, Australia’s first-round leader Robert Allenby and South African Louis Oosthuizen.

It was a real tale of two halves for McIlroy as the battle for the number one spot moved closer to becoming a two-horse race with Martin Kaymer down on two under and Ross Fisher level par, both after 71s.

An eagle and three birdies swept McIlroy from three behind to two in front, but he failed to capitalise coming home.

“I’m still in a good position,” he said. “I felt like I played the back nine okay, but it was just those two short putts.”

Both the par putts he missed were from three feet.

Westwood led by two himself after matching McIlroy’s two opening birdies, but bogeyed the eighth and did not have another birdie until the 16th.

Kaymer is out of the reckoning if he fails to finish in the top four, while Fisher needs to be first or second on Sunday — his 29th birthday.

Both were disappointed with rounds of 71 and both revealed themselves as no great fans of the lay-out.

When asked for his opinion Kaymer said: “No comment” and when reminded that this could be the stage for the Order of Merit climax for at least the next four years he added: “We have to love it for four days and then forget about it.”

Fisher stated: “I’m really disappointed. I felt I played really, really well, but now I’ve just got to try to go for everything.

“I’d be lying if I said it was my favourite course. It’s not a bomber’s course and it’s not a plodder’s course and I just think the greens could be a little bit smaller.

“I also think you should be able to see a lot more greens with your second shot. I think you could be counting on one hand the greens you can actually see.

“It’s bizarre. You hit a good shot and you hit it right down the flag and it could be stiff or it could be 30 feet. You just don’t know. There you go.”

The 66s of playing partners McGowan and Oosthuizen were the rounds of the day, but Chris Wood, joint second with Westwood and Villegas after his opening 66, crashed to a 78.

With six-figure pay-outs on offer down to 11th spot, Gareth Maybin put himself in position for a healthy cheque after he moved to four under after a 69 today. Peter Lawrie is a shot further back after a 70.

Damien McGrane’s 70 left him on level par, while Graeme McDowell also signed for the same score and lies two over as he seeks some form ahead of next week’s World Cup in China.

SCOREBOARD 135Lee Westwood 66 69
137 Rory McIlroy68 69, Robert Allenby (Aus) 65 72, Camilo Villegas (Col) 66 71, Louis Oosthuizen (Rsa) 71 66, Padraig Harrington68 69, Ross McGowan 71 66
138Thomas Aiken (Rsa) 68 70, Sergio Garcia (Spa) 71 67, Wen-chong Liang (Chn) 68 70, Rafael Cabrera Bello (Spa) 71 67
139Alexander Noren (Swe) 70 69, Geoff Ogilvy (Aus) 70 69, Johan Edfors (Swe) 69 70
140Francesco Molinari (Ita) 72 68, Retief Goosen (Rsa) 69 71, Gareth Maybin71 69, Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spa) 72 68, Scott Strange (Aus) 73 67
141Adam Scott (Aus) 68 73, Nick Dougherty 69 72, Peter Lawrie71 70, Bradley Dredge 70 71
142Jeev Milkha Singh (Ind) 70 72, Soren Kjeldsen (Den) 73 69, Anders Hansen (Den) 73 69, Martin Kaymer (Ger) 71 71, Anthony Wall 71 71, Gregory Bourdy (Fra) 71 71, Thomas Levet (Fra) 73 69, Henrik Stenson (Swe) 71 71
143Peter Hanson (Swe) 72 71, Oliver Wilson 71 72, Jamie Donaldson 73 70, Gonzalo Fdez-Castano (Spa) 70 73, Simon Dyson 70 73, Raphael Jacquelin (Fra) 70 73, Richard Sterne (Rsa) 72 71
144Chris Wood 66 78, Damien McGrane74 70, Robert Rock 74 70, Ross Fisher 73 71, Alvaro Quiros (Spa) 69 75, Thongchai Jaidee (Tha) 70 74, Graeme Storm 78 66
145David Drysdale 72 73, Niclas Fasth (Swe) 73 72, Ian Poulter 71 74, Luke Donald 73 72
146James Kingston (Rsa) 73 73, Charl Schwartzel (Rsa) 74 72, Graeme McDowell76 70, Soren Hansen (Den) 73 73, Danny Willett 76 70
147Justin Rose 72 75, Peter Hedblom (Swe) 75 72
148Steve Webster 75 73, Ernie Els (Rsa) 74 74

(Gbr & Irl unless stated, par 72):

THIRD ROUND TEE-TIMES
(all times Irish)
0350Ernie Els (Rsa), Steve Webster
0400Justin Rose, Peter Hedblom (Swe)
0410James Kingston (Rsa), Soren Hansen (Den)
0420Charl Schwartzel (Rsa), Danny Willett
0430 Graeme McDowell, Ian Poulter
0440David Drysdale, Luke Donald
0450Niclas Fasth (Swe), Chris Wood
0500Alvaro Quiros (Spa), Thongchai Jaidee (Tha)
0510Ross Fisher, Damien McGrane
0520Robert Rock, Graeme Storm
0535Raphael Jacquelin (Fra), Gonzalo Fdez-Castano (Spa)
0545Simon Dyson, Oliver Wilson
0555Richard Sterne (Rsa), Peter Hanson (Swe)
0605Jamie Donaldson, Jeev Milkha Singh (Ind)
0615Gregory Bourdy (Fra), Anthony Wall
0625Henrik Stenson (Swe), Martin Kaymer (Ger)
0635Thomas Levet (Fra), Anders Hansen (Den)
0645Soren Kjeldsen (Den), Adam Scott (Aus)
0655Nick Dougherty, Bradley Dredge
0705 Peter Lawrie, Retief Goosen (Rsa)
0720 Gareth Maybin, Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spa)
0730Francesco Molinari (Ita), Scott Strange (Aus)
0740Johan Edfors (Swe), Alexander Noren (Swe)
0750Geoff Ogilvy (Aus), Wen-chong Liang (Chn)
0800Thomas Aiken (Rsa), Rafael Cabrera Bello (Spa)
0810Sergio Garcia (Spa), Robert Allenby (Aus)
0820Camilo Villegas (Col), Padraig Harrington
0830 Rory McIlroy, Louis Oosthuizen (Rsa)
0840Ross McGowan, Lee Westwood