Rory McIlroy was not putting too much pressure on himself in the battle for the Race to Dubai title after carding an opening 70 at the DP World India Championship.
After this week at New Delhi Golf Club, there is just one event left in the regular season before the DP World Tour Play-Offs in the UAE, where McIlroy will play both events in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
The top eight in the Race to Dubai Rankings Delivered by DP World are all playing this week and McIlroy is one of four players – along with Rankings leader Patrick Reed, Eugenio Chacarra and Casey Jarvis – who could be on top come Sunday night.
With the Northern Irishman chasing a fifth consecutive and record-equalling eighth season-long title, he could be forgiven for feeling the strain, but with three wins, two seconds and five further top fives at the DP World Tour Championship to go with two top threes at Yas Links in the Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship, he is confident he can make up any ground in the Middle East.
"I think not to force it too much," he said.
"I have to concentrate on myself. I know a good week here, that will set me up well for the last two weeks in the Middle East.
"My track record in the Middle East is really good, so I don't need to be leading going into the last two weeks, but if I can just eat into that lead a little bit I feel like I'll have a good chance going in those final two events."
McIlroy carded four birdies and two bogeys on a day where nearly five hours were lost to weather in the Indian capital and overall he was satisfied with his day's work.
"I think I hit the ball pretty well for the most part," he said. "Missed a few putts early on, got it going a little bit around the middle and then maybe missed a couple of opportunities when we came back out after the delay.
"So overall felt like it could have been a couple better but still a solid start. No one is really getting away. The golf course is playing a little bit tougher than it did last year just with how long the rough is.
"So we'll see how much we play tomorrow. We're not sure. But, yeah, it's a solid start, and obviously still a lot of golf left."
