MADRID, Oct 27: Retief Goosen is on the brink of becoming the first non-European to win Europe’s order of merit since Greg Norman in 1982 after moving into a share of second place in the Madrid Open on Friday.

Ireland’s David Higgins, languishing in 128th place on the money list, is the surprise halfway leader after his round of 62 took him to a 13-under-par total of 129.

But South African Goosen, fresh from sorting out his swing on the practice range, came surging after him in the afternoon with eight birdies, carding a 64 to share second place with two Britons, Steve Webster, who also shot 62, and Brian Davis, who returned a 64.

Goosen is not only eyeing his maiden order of merit but also the $200,000 first prize he would receive for his third win of the season.

He is already $680,000 dollars ahead of the only man who can catch him, Darren Clarke, and the Irishman’s 69 left him seven strokes off the lead and six behind Goosen, who can become European number one for the first time even if he fails to win the tournament.

Leading second scores (Britain unless stated):

129 David Higgins (Ireland) 67 62

130 Brian Davis 66 64, Retief Goosen (South Africa) 66 64, Steve Webster 68 62

132 Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spain) 65 67

134 David Lynn 68 66, Henrik Nystrom (Sweden) 67 67, Fredrik Andersson (Sweden) 69 65, Stephen Gallacher 64 70, Diego Borrego (Spain) 69 65, Andrew Marshall 66 68, Johan Rystrom (Sweden) 67 67

135 Robert Coles 66 69, Markus Brier (Austria) 67 68, Fernando Roca (Spain) 67 68, Carlos Rodiles (Spain) 65 70, Padraig Harrington (Ireland) 63 72, Philip Price 66 69, Van Phillips 68 67

136 Richard Green (Australia) 69 67, Jose Maria Olazabal (Spain) 69 67, Darren Clarke 67 69, Roger Winchester 71 65, Alastair Forsyth 69 67, John Bickerton 69 67, Thomas Goegle 68 68, Stephen Dodd 71 65 137 Ignacio Garrido (Spain) 70 67, Angel Cabrera (Argentina) 68 69, David Park 68 69, Anders Hansen (Denmark) 68 69, Eduardo Romero (Argentina) 70 67—Reuters