The battle to win the European order of merit is poised for a thrilling climax after Ryder Cup team-mates Padraig Harrington, Lee Westwood and Robert Karlsson moved into contention at the Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland today.

Harrington, the reigning Open and USPGA champion, finished top of the European money list last year and is on course to retain his No1 status.

The Irishman tops this season's list but he is only £180,000 ahead of Westwood, who would have been £100,000 closer had he beaten Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano in last weekends' play-off for the British Masters at The Belfry.

Karlsson is third in the standings another £100,000 adrift but with £432,000 on offer for the winner on Sunday, the race to win the Harry Vardon Trophy looks like going to the wire.

Karlsson was certainly doing his best to ensure a close finish as he moved into a share of second place towards the midway point of his second round at St Andrews, one of three courses being used for the pro-am event.

The 6ft 5in Swede picked up birdies at the first two holes to improve to seven under par, two shots behind Martin Kaymer.

The German, who missed out on qualifying for the Ryder Cup team by just £36,000 but took up captain Nick Faldo's invitation to travel to Valhalla for the experience, was also playing the Old Course and went to the turn in 35.

A birdie at the 12th then took the 23-year-old to nine-under.

That chasing pack included Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy, who was playing Carnoustie — the hardest of the courses — Denmark's Soren Hansen and David Howell.

McIlroy, third in this event last year in only his second tournament as a professional, is seeking his first European Tour title after narrowly missing out in last month's European Masters in Switzerland, losing to Jean-Francois Lucquin in a play-off.

Howell finished seventh on the order of merit in 2005 and third the following year, but slumped to 142nd last year after a season blighted by injuries and loss of form.

But the 33-year-old from Swindon has shown signs of recapturing his best form this season and finished 16th at The Belfry on Sunday.

Westwood, meanwhile, was four shots off the lead on five under par at the turn, one ahead of Harrington, who birdied five of his last six holes in an opening 67 at Kingsbarns yesterday but was one over par for his round today.