Andy Sullivan edges ahead of a galvanised Grillo to take DPWTC lead

Dubai - Encouragingly for the 29-year-old as well, both Quiros and Stenson went on to win the event from those advantageous positions back in 2011 and 2013 respectively.

Andy Sullivan equalled the best-ever 36-hole score at the DP World Tour Championship to surge out on his own at the top of the leaderboard here on Friday.
Resuming with an overnight share of first place alongside Marcus Fraser, Martin Kaymer and Ian Poulter, the Englishman made it successive scores of 66 (six-under par) to reach the halfway mark on 12-under par (132). Shooting such low numbers was sufficient too for Sullivan to join Spaniard Alvaro Quiros and Sweden's Henrik Stenson in the history books of this prestigious season-ending finale.
Encouragingly for the 29-year-old as well, both Quiros and Stenson went on to win the event from those advantageous positions back in 2011 and 2013 respectively.
Sullivan is one shot ahead of the second-placed Argentine Emiliano Grillo, while the United States' Patrick Reed is two strokes further back in third.
"It has been an incredible round all day, with the crowd and the putts going in," the Nuneaton-born pro enthused. "It's absolutely awesome to be leading at halfway in such a massive event. It's incredible."
Sullivan may well be understandably elated to have got to where he is on the leaderboard of such a lucrative competition, yet he inherently knows he faces a battle to stay there with a high-calibre chasing pack hot on his heels. He'll be teeing off this afternoon with an in-form Grillo, who has seemingly transferred his pristine play across the pond after two tournament triumphs in America.
"It was definitely a nice round," said the 23-year-old, who carded a bogey-free eight-under par (64) on Friday - the best round of the day.
"I'm hitting the ball very nicely. I'm very pleased with the way that I'm playing and, hopefully, I can keep it going for the next few days.
"It's pretty much like a major. You've got the best players in the world here and you've got to play really well to keep up."
One man who believes Grillo is performing well enough to sustain his challenge through to Sunday afternoon is no less than the world number three Rory McIlroy, who was paired with him yesterday and came away suitably impressed by what he'd seen. "Emiliano is playing very well and he didn't really put a foot wrong," the 26-year-old reflected. "He didn't miss a shot and held a lot of putts.
"He's obviously been playing so well, with the Web.com Tour Finals and then the Fry's.com Open.
"He's had a great run the last couple of months. He has got a lot of confidence; he is hitting great shots and putting very well.
"So, if he keeps playing like he did today (Friday), he'll be a tough man to catch."
alex@khaleejtimes.com 

Scores
132 - Andy Sullivan (ENG) 66-66
133 - Emiliano Grillo (ARG) 69-64
135 - Patrick Reed (USA) 70-65
136 - Charl Schwartzel (RSA) 71-65, Thongchai Jaidee (THA) 69-67, Rory McIlroy (NIR) 68-68
137 - Bernd Wiesberger (AUT) 72-65, Justin Rose (ENG) 71-66, Alex Noren (SWE) 71-66, Branden Grace (RSA) 68-69, Matthew Fitzpatrick (ENG) 68-69, Martin Kaymer (GER) 66-71
138 - Kiradech Aphibarnrat (THA) 73-65, Byeong-Hun An (KOR) 70-68, Thomas Pieters (BEL) 69-69, Tyrrell Hatton (ENG) 69-69, Danny Willett (ENG) 68-70, Chris Wood (ENG) 68-70, Francesco Molinari (ITA) 67-71, Marcus Fraser (AUS) 66-72
139 - Victor Dubuisson (FRA) 72-67, Alejandro Canizares (ESP) 68-71
140 - Anirban Lahiri (IND) 73-67, Marc Warren (SCO) 72-68, Peter Uihlein (USA) 71-69, Lucas Bjerregaard (DEN) 69-71, Ian Poulter (ENG) 66-74
141 - Louis Ooosthuizen (RSA) 73-68, Gregory Bourdy (FRA) 73-68, Soren Kjeldsen (DEN) 71-70, Lee Westwood (ENG) 71-70, Anthony Wall (ENG) 71-70, Gary Stal (FRA) 71-70, Richie Ramsay (SCO) 71-70, Jamie Donaldson (WAL) 70-71, Luke Donald (ENG) 69-72, Pablo Larrazabal (ESP) 69-72, Joost Luiten (NED) 69-72, Fabrizio Zanotti (PAR) 68-73
142 - Jaco van Zyl (RSA) 72-70, Maximilian Kieffer (GER) 71-71, Ross Fisher (ENG) 69-73, Miguel Angel Jimenez (ESP) 68-74
143 - Eddie Pepperell (ENG) 71-72, Kristoffer Broberg (SWE) 70-73
144 - Julien Quesne (FRA) 73-71, Rikard Karlberg (SWE) 72-72, James Morrison (ENG) 71-73, Thorbjorn Olesen (DEN) 70-74
145 - Raphael Jacquelin (FRA) 76-69, Shane Lowry (IRL) 75-70, Alexander Levy (FRA) 74-71, Stephen Gallacher (SCO) 73-72, Graeme Storm (ENG) 73-72
146 - Henrik Stenson (SWE) 77-69, Scott Hend (AUS) 77-69, Rafa Cabrera-Bello (ESP) 76-70
147 - Lee Slattery (ENG) 76-71
148 - David Howell (ENG) 72-76
149 - Tommy Fleetwood (ENG) 77-72

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