Padraig Harrington's gamble of adding the Mallorca Classic to his schedule in his bid to be crowned European number one backfired when he missed the cut today.

A four-over-par 74 in a second round played in strong winds meant Harrington finished 14 shots adrift of joint leaders Niclas Fasth (71) of Sweden and Ireland's Gary Murphy (71), who are three-under on 137.

Murphy lies 118th on the order of merit, the cut-off point for a tour card next year, and has now raised the bar on his ambitions as he searches for his maiden victory.

Harrington may now need to win the season-ending Volvo Masters in Valderrama next week to beat Briton Paul Casey to the order of merit title.

"Three rounds ago I played some great golf," said the Irishman, referring to the win in the Dunhill Links Championship at St Andrews that elevated him to second in Europe.

"I've just had two poor ones but I shouldn't be reading too much into it because I'm quite happy with my game. Trying to win a tournament on demand, like I might have to next week, is one of the hardest things but I've still got a chance," he told reporters.

An immediate double-bogey left Harrington with little chance of recovering from his opening 77.

Fasth and Murphy were one stroke ahead of Briton Marc Warren, who rubber-stamped his claim to be Rookie of the Year with a joint best of the day 68.

While Fasth is looking for a Spanish double, having won the Spanish Open in April, Murphy has completed half his mission by making the cut.

"You can't get ahead of yourself," he said today. "I've been in this position before but never got over the last hurdle."

With the cut at nine-over only two other Irishmen made the cut. Both Paul McGinley and Michael Hoey are on five-over after rounds of 70 and 74 respectively.

Stephen Browne and David Higgins both finished on 13-over-par, while Damien McGrane signed off for nine-over par. Higgins, Browne and Hoey will now have to endure the Tour qualifying school if they are to compete at this level next year.

Holder Jose Maria Olazabal's miserable week at a Pula course he is redesigning ended, like playing partner Harrington, in a closing bogey and a missed cut.

The Spaniard finished 10-over after a 72.

Sergio Garcia, the 2004 winner, stayed in contention after a second successive 70.