DP World India Championship: Day one digest

Niklas Nørgaard edged ahead, Rory McIlroy was going with the flow and fast starts were the order of the day on a weather-affected Thursday at the DP World India Championship.

Here is everything you need to know from Delhi Golf Club.

Nørgaard hits the front

Nørgaard produced a birdie-birdie finish to edge into a one-shot lead on day one. Just under five hours of play was lost due to storms in the vicinity at Delhi Golf Club but that was no distraction to Nørgaard, who carded a 66 to get to six under and lead the way from Spaniard Eugenio Chacarra, Belgian Thomas Detry and Northern Ireland's Tom McKibbin. The Dane was in danger of losing his card in late August but finished second at the Husqvarna British Masters hosted by Sir Nick Faldo and another runner-up finish at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship now has him heading for the DP World Tour Play-Offs. The big-hitter carded an eagle, six birdies and two bogeys in round one and revealed he was surprised to score so well on a short and narrow layout that takes the driver out of many players' hands. "I'm very, very happy," he said. "Bit surprised as well. This should not suit me at all. It pretty much just neutralises my best weapon, which is my driver. But I just managed to make no big mistakes, put the irons in play, and putt pretty well."

McIlroy keeping cool

The tussle at the top of the leaderboard could well have a big effect on the Race to Dubai Rankings Delivered by DP World, with four players able to be on top come Sunday night. Rory McIlroy is one of those along with Rankings leader Patrick Reed, Eugenio Chacarra and Casey Jarvis and the Northern Irishman opened with a 70 on Thursday. He is not playing next week in Korea but will tee it up in the DP World Tour Play-Offs in the UAE where he has a formidible record so, with that in mind, the two-time reigning Masters champion was keeping the pressure off. "I have to concentrate on myself," he said. "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."

Rai off to a flier

Many people fancy Aaron Rai to take the title this week, with the general consensus being his methodical, patient game is perfect for the short and narrow layout at Delhi Golf Club. But let's not forget the US PGA champion is also capable of the spectacular, as he proved with this chip-in eagle at the first.

Meronk on the move

Speaking of fast starts, what about Adrian Meronk? He was only able to complete five holes but he birdied his first three and then added another to sit just two off the lead. He must be wishing they had some floodlights.

A test for the best

Much has been made this week of the fact the rough is thicker than last year, making the already very narrow fairways potentially seem even narrower. Tommy Fleetwood handled the rough and everywhere else brilliantly last season on the way to victory but he proved just how tough it is this year on the ninth. He even had to take his hat off.