Tommy Fleetwood signalled his determination to clinch a first Race to Dubai title on day two of the season-ending DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.
Olympic champion Justin Rose seized the initiative in the battle to be crowned European number one with an opening 66 which left him just a shot off the lead held by American Patrick Reed.
Rose trails fellow Englishman Fleetwood by 256,738 points on the money list, but knows a remarkable third victory in as many starts will guarantee him the Harry Vardon trophy for the second time.
However, if Rose is third or worse at Jumeirah Golf Estates, Fleetwood can cling on to top spot with a good finish of his own and quickly set about making that a possibility on Friday.
Birdies on the first - a hole he double-bogeyed on Thursday - and second took Fleetwood into red figures and further gains on the fifth and sixth had the 26-year-old on the verges of the top 10.
A bogey on the par-five seventh slowed Fleetwood's momentum but a par on the ninth took him to the turn in 33 and within four shots of Rose, who was in the penultimate group at 12:40 local time (0840GMT).
Source: PA
