McIlroy makes 'solid' start in rain-hit Delhi as Norgaard leads

Rory McIlroy and defending champion Tommy Fleetwood finished four shots off the clubhouse lead on a rain-hit opening day at the DP World India Championship on Thursday.

Denmark's Niklas Norgaard carded six birdies and an eagle against two bogeys to emerge as the sole leader after a six-under-par 66 at Delhi Golf Club.

Northern Ireland's Tom McKibbin, Belgian Thomas Detry and Spaniard Eugenio Chacarra were tied for second, one shot back, on a challenging day due to heavy rain and nearly five hours of stoppages.

The six-time major winner McIlroy shot a two-under-par 70 for a tie of 13th, carding birdies on holes two, 13, 15 and 18.

He also had two bogeys and called his opening round "solid".

"The leaders haven't gotten away and 54 holes to go, so a lot of golf left still.

"Solid start, not an amazing one, but at least satisfactory."

Fleetwood was four-under for most of his round but suffered a double bogey on the last hole to join McIlroy.

The weather played spoilsport after a sunny start to the day as many players headed back to their hotel rooms after rain stopped play in the middle of the round.

The round remains unfinished for some including US star Patrick Reed, who was two over through four holes.

Nestled in the heart of Delhi, the DGC course is a par-72 layout that is short by modern standards at less than 7 000 yards.

It is studded with the ruins of ancient tombs dating back to the Mughal Empire.

Its narrow fairways are bordered by treacherous dense vegetation on a course that is a throwback to a bygone golfing era, rewarding accuracy rather than distance.

Chacarra carded seven birdies against two bogeys and is in contention for the Race to Dubai, placed between leader Reed and third-placed McIlroy.

"It's a goal that I have on my team now, you know, try to make a push in the last four events to try to win it," said the Spaniard.

"Obviously I got two guys, one behind, one in front, they're world-class players and the best players in the world.

"So it's not going to be easy. I need to play my A-game and see where that takes me."