Lee Westwood is back on course for a £1.6million jackpot on Sunday following a day of amazing twists and turns at the Dubai World Championship.

Westwood 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 Padraig 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 the 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 £744,000 and a money list bonus of almost £900,000.

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 after 71s.