Justin Rose back in contention at the DP World Tour Championship

Justin Rose believes there are still improvements he needs to make to his game, despite moving in to contention with a much-improved second-round display at the DP World Tour Championship.

The Englishman is one of seven players featuring in this week's season-ending finale still in with a chance of topping the Race to Dubai standings, but needs a solo second finish or better to keep his hopes alive.

After following an up-and-down 71 with a series of missed chances on the front nine on Friday, Rose posted five birdies in a seven-hole stretch after the turn to surge up the leaderboard.

Rose then recovered from finding the water and bogeying the 17th to post a birdie at the last to close a six-under 66, leaving the world No 5 upbeat about his chances heading in to the weekend.

"It gets me right back in it," Rose told Sky Sports. "On the front nine particularly I was playing well, but not making anything of it.

"I missed a bunch of short putts around five, six and seven and was having to work hard not to get frustrated, but everything turned around on the back nine.

"If you're on with your irons then there's no reason for you to make as many bogeys as I am, but hopefully if I can keep making the birdies and clean up the other stuff over the weekend I'll be in great shape.

"I hit a lot of shots close to the flag, which is what I haven't been doing in the past few days. I have been playing well but always looking for more."

Live European Tour Golf

Hat-trick hopes gone

Defending champion Henrik Stenson's acknowledged his chances of a third successive win in Dubai were over, despite a much better second-round display.

Having carded a bogey-filled 77 in the opening round, his worst score by four strokes at Jumeriah Golf Estates, Stenson bounced back by firing six birdies in a seven-hole stretch around the turn on Friday on his way to a three-under 69.

The Swede faces another early start on Saturday in what will be his penultimate tournament before undergoing a minor knee operation next month, with Stenson admitting his game this week has been far from his best.

"On my own state of mind, it hasn't really been to where it needs to perform at my highest level," Stenson said. "I can't blame any physical (problems), it's more the soft parts in the body that's not really where they need to be.

"My putting was better today, there were some highlights with the striking too so we'll try and finish with some good scores. Hopefully we can start off next season in two weeks' time with a good tournament in South Africa and then we pack it in for the year.

"You have to have your mind in the right place if you're going to compete with the best and it hasn't really been there."

Watch the DP World Tour Championship live throughout the weekend live on Sky Sports 4 - your home of golf