JUSTIN Rose roared to the top of the Volvo PGA Championship leaderboard on Friday after shooting a wonderful six-under-par round of 66 - his best-ever professional round at Wentworth.

The 23-year-old added to his opening day 67 (-5) to take a two shot lead over nearest rivals Darren Clarke and Phillip Price.

And he is heading into the weekend of the prestigious European Tour event full of confidence.

The north Hampshire ace, who lives in Fleet, took advantage of his early 8.30am tee-time and enjoyed a hot putting display to reach 11-under after 36 holes.

As he did on Thursday, Rose bagged seven birdies - and he could quite easily had four more but for lip-outs and slight miss-reads - as he continued to play superb golf around the famous West Course.

Overnight leader Ernie Els fell away as failed to match the dizzy heights of his first round 64 (-8) and fell away.

Rose is now in a prime position to win his first tournament since 2002 - but he is refusing to think too far ahead. The lessons learned in April at Augusta and the US Masters, when he led the chase for the Green Jacket by two at the half-way stage before a disastrous third round 81 (+9), are still fresh in his mind.

He said: "That showed me you can't get think too far ahead, which is what I was probably guilty of if I am being very self-critical, even though I still don't feel as if I played that badly that day.

"I learned that tomorrow isn't worth thinking about until it comes, otherwise you won't be able to relax.

"It may be dull to say, but it's true. You do have to take it one day at a time.

"Obviously, I'm delighted to be leading, because it's been too long since I won and I want to enjoy that winning feeling again.

"I'm certainly hoping it will be this week and at a course so near to home."

Although not entirely happy with his swing - "I still need to do a bit of practice," he confirmed - Rose is enjoying the success he is having on the greens with his Odyssey 2-ball putter.

He said: "My putting has been holding me back, but I'm feeling more confident of taking my chances when they come along, and obviously have been so far this week.

"The first day was more of a good scoring day than a great playing day, but I am definitely putting a lot better. It's made all the difference."

The proximity of Rose's home to the course is helping him relax well, he said, and he was spending the evening at Clarke's for a barbecue. "I just hope he doesn't give me any dodgy meat!" quipped Rose.

Rose's performance over the first two days impressed playing partner and 1989 winner Nick Faldo, who ended up on -5 after rounds of 70 and 69.

Faldo said: "Justin is playing very steady golf, thinking his way around well and holing putts. I am impressed with him. He showed at Augusta he is ready to take a step up.

"Leading a Major heading into the weekend is what it's all about in terms of getting experience you need. It's a big learning curve. It should help him here over the next two days. He is playing well enough to win it."

Rose was grateful for Faldo's comments and returned the praise.

But talking about the immediate challenge ahead of him, he said: "My approach into the weekend will be the same. I need to keep putting well. That will be the key, and keeping bogeys off my card too.

"I'm also not going to put pressure on myself. Yes, I'm at the top of the leaderboard, but I feel comfortable there."