R2 LEADERBOARD GB & Ire unless stated -11 J Rose -9 D Clarke, E Els (SA), J Haeggman (Swe), P Price -8 A Cabrera (Arg), S Dodd, A Hansen (Den), I Poulter, M Siem (Ger) -7 S Drummond, D Fichardt (SA), P Hedblom (Swe)

The 24-year-old reached 11-under to head first-round leader Ernie Els and Ryder Cup stars Darren Clarke, Phillip Price and Joakim Haeggman.

Vijay Singh and Nick Faldo are both on five-under while Colin Montgomerie is on four-under after a second 70.

Open champion Ben Curtis, Lee Westwood and Ian Woosnam all missed the cut.

Welshman Stephen Dodd could have joined Rose at the top of the leaderboard after reaching 10-under, but he bogeyed the two closing par fives to finish eight-under.

Rose said he had learned from his experience at The Masters, where he had led after two rounds before slumping to a third round 81.

"You can never get ahead of yourself. It's incredibly boring to say it, but it's one shot a time.

Watch day two highlights

"At Augusta it was on my mind away from course too much. It was churning away when I should have been relaxed. I had a slightly dodgy night and then nine hours between waking up and teeing off.

"I'm staying at home this week, so it's a lot, lot easier."

Ryder Cup hero Price birdied the last five holes for a nine-under 65 - the best round of the day - while Clarke carded a five-under 67 to move into contention.

South African world number three Els surprisingly struggled on his favourite course, recording bogeys at the third and the eighth, before claiming his first birdie at the 12th on his way to a round of 71.

Four-under after a second successive 70, Montgomerie still has hopes of achieving the fifth place finish which might prove good enough to earn him a place in the US Open next month.

He is now targeting a pair of 65s for victory at Wentworth.

"We've done that before I just have to put them together," he said. "I have to play my way out of this, everyone tells me this is the right thing to do.

"My expectations are low - very, very low. It will take time."

Vijay Singh finished on five-under after bogeys at the 10th, long 12th, 15th and 16th left him with a 73.