DAVID Howell's quest for a top 20 finish on the European Tour's Race to Dubai standings suffered a major setback as he slipped down the field in the Middle East this morning.

The 40 year old, who posted an opening round of 72 at the DP World Tour Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates yesterday, slumped to a second-round 76 to drop towards the back of the 60-man field.

The two-time Ryder Cup winner went into this week's 2015 season-ending tournament ranked 25th in the overall standings and needing a strong finish to break inside the top 20.

However, a horror second nine, featuring three bogeys and a double bogey, looked likely crush that dream, dropping him 12 shots adrift of the leaders as day two drew to a close.

It all started normally enough for the Broome Manor man, a solitary birdie at the third taking him to the turn in a one under par 35.

But the wheels came off as Howell bogeyed the 10th, then doubled the 12, further shots going at the 15th and 18th as he came home in 41 strokes.

Justin Rose kept his hopes of winning the Race to Dubai alive while Ryder Cup partner Henrik Stenson admitted his chances of a third straight victory in the Dubai tournament had disappeared.

Stenson birdied seven of his last 12 holes to shoot a second round of 69, but knew the damage had been done by an opening 77, his worst score by four shots in the European Tour's season finale.

In contrast, Rose added a 66 to his opening 71 to finish seven under par alongside Austria's Bernd Wiesberger, just one shot behind early clubhouse leader Charl Schwartzel after the former Masters champion matched Wiesberger's flawless 65.