Justin Rose will put the “hammer down” over the weekend in a bid to win a “bucket list” BMW PGA Championship title.
The Englishman - making a milestone 20th appearance at the prestigious DP World Tour event - sits one shot off the lead held by Hideki Matsuyama through his opening 36 holes after rounds of 67-66.
Since his debut in 2001, Rose has recorded five top ten finishes at Wentworth Club – including a play-off defeat to Denmark's Anders Hansen in 2007.
A Major champion, Olympic champion, multiple global winner, former World Number One and Ryder Cup veteran, there is little Rose has not achieved in the game but victory at a venue which has become home would be incredibly meaningful.
“I have always said it is a bucket list event for me,” he said. “I can’t deny it, I can’t hide from it.
“I said at the beginning of the week, if you get into contention this week it becomes all about this week and this weekend will be all about this tournament.
“If you were middle of the pack, you might start thinking about Bethpage.”
Rose is one of nine players from the 11 members of Luke Donald’s European team contesting this week set to make the cut, with team-mates Viktor Hovland and Ludvig Åberg also at 11 under after two rounds.
While he felt he got the most out of his round on Thursday, avoiding any dropped shots, Rose was far happier with how he struck the ball on Friday on another challenging day over the West Course with sun, rain and wind.
Starting his second round at five under, Rose started his day brightly, taking dead aim at the par-three second to set up a tap-in birdie.
He picked up another shot from close range on the long fourth before nearly holing his approach at the seventh and making a birdie there.
The Englishman finished the front nine with a bogey but got the shot back with a ten-foot birdie at the short tenth.
Rose continued to impress on the greens as he rolled in his birdie try from 12 feet on the 12th before wowing the crowds with a long-range birdie from off the 14th green to get within one shot of the lead.
While he dropped his second shot of the day on the 16th, he bounced back with a birdie courtesy of a marvellous approach at the 17th before tapping in for a closing birdie.
“I have got a great weekend ahead of me," added Rose, who is pushing for a second worldwide win this year after victory at last month's FedEx St. Jude Championship on the PGA TOUR.
"I think we have got more choppy weather coming so it’s going to be a little bit [a case of] see what happens out there to be honest with you.
"I am feeling comfortable, you have got to stay aggressive because even though the course feels like it is playing tough, obviously the scoreboard wouldn’t suggest so, so hammer down.”
