Rory McIlroy still on course to be No.1 (2015 DP World Tour Championship Rd 1-2)

• published: 20 Nov 2015
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Rory McIlroy remained in pole position to be crowned European number one for the third time in four years as former supermarket shelf-stacker Andy Sullivan claimed the halfway lead in the DP World Tour Championship. McIlroy felt he was stuck "somewhere between third and fourth gear" after a second round of 68 at Jumeirah Golf Estates left him eight under par, four shots behind Sullivan but crucially ahead of Race to Dubai rivals Justin Rose and Danny Willett by one and two shots respectively. Share Go To Sullivan carded a second consecutive 66 to lead by one from Argentina's Emiliano Grillo, much to the delight of "Team Sulli", his 30-strong personal fan club from Nuneaton who have travelled to Dubai for the £5.2million season finale. Already the only player to win three times on the European Tour this season, Sullivan could take his official earnings for the year to almost £2million with the first prize of £875,000 and his share of the £4million bonus pool shared between the top 15 players on the Race to Dubai. Not bad for a man who spent two years stacking shelves in Asda to fund his golf. "If you ask them they'll probably say I was only there for about six months because I was asleep in the changing room half the time," joked Sullivan, whose supporters wear T-shirts with a bright yellow smiley face on the front to reflect the 29-year-old's irrepressible personality. "I had to go in at five in the morning and finish at 10 so I could play golf, so a few times I turned up with a bit of a hangover, seeing as I had to work on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday" Playing alongside McIlroy, Grillo carded eight birdies in a flawless 64, the lowest round of the week, to maintain the form which saw him win the Web.com Tour Championship and Frys.com Open in the space of a fortnight last month. "It gives you a lot of confidence," said the 23-year-old, who almost hit McIlroy with a tee shot on his way to a first PGA Tour title in California. "We know there it's not easy. Anywhere it's not easy. I was lucky enough to get two wins in a row and that gets me twice the c onfidence. "But here it's pretty much like a major. You've got the best players in the world and you've got to play really well to keep it up. It was my second time playing with Rory and I'm really thrilled. He's one of the nicest guys out here and that makes it easier, but it's nice playing good with him." Rose correctly anticipated being five off the lead after adding a 66 to his opening 71 to finish seven under par, with former Masters champion Charl Schwartzel and Thongchai Jaidee alongside McIlroy on eight under and American Ryder Cup star Patrick Reed nine under. First round joint leader Ian Poulter could only add a 74 to his opening 66 to fall eight shots off the lead and was furious with his performance. The 39-year-old wrote on Twitter: "I got what I deserved today. Disgusting commitment to shots. Disgusting attitude, Disgusting temperament, Lost my cool, Need a low weekend."