NEW DELHI — Eugenio Chacarra seized the advantage over Rory McIlroy and Patrick Reed in the Race to Dubai with a stellar opening round at the DP World India Championship.

The Spaniard has a love affair with India, earning his DP World Tour card last year with an Indian Open victory up the road at DLF Country Club, where he was playing on a sponsor’s invite. He finished second this year as the defending champion.

The former LIV Golf star has made the most of his opportunities since, winning twice this season and muscling his way into the fight for the order of merit crown with McIlroy and Reed.

This was a slog in the New Delhi smog, with a prolonged thunderstorm forcing a five-hour suspension. But Chacarra, playing through the pain of a broken toe, rallied to fire a five-under-par 67 to take a share of second place, albeit with half of the field returning on Friday to complete their opening loops. He made seven birdies and two bogeys.

That fighting spirit is a big reason why Luke Donald has tabbed the Madrid native as a future Ryder Cup player, inviting him to a scouting trip at Adare Manor in September.

The 26-year-old trails Denmark’s Niklas Norgaard by one, putting him in position to challenge for his third victory of the campaign and leapfrog Reed atop the rankings with three events to play.

“I'm in a great position to battle with the best players in the world. That's what I dreamed of since I was little,” Chacarra said. “That's why we work every single day — to one day become one of them, and having Patrick and Rory playing for the same thing as me, winning the Race to Dubai, is something unique. I'm playing well, I'm feeling good, the toe is getting better, and I'm excited for the battle."

Oklahoma-based Chacarra is a long way from home, but he feels at ease here. “I love the country, I love the people, I love the food,” he added. “I'm a big butter chicken and rice kind of guy.”

It was a miserable day for Reed, who was in the afternoon wave and faced a tiresome wait to tee off. He managed just four holes and slid to two over before darkness descended, and he faces a grueling day on Friday to catch up.

The 36-year-old has led the rankings for most of the season, but his lead has eroded due to a dip in form, which was exacerbated by hand and shoulder injuries picked up at Wentworth in September. His momentum has stalled.

McIlroy, third in the Race to Dubai standings, was able to complete his opening round and signed for a two-under-par 70.

He left his driver in the hotel room after being spooked by the claustrophobic layout on his first visit a year ago, and he was neat and tidy aside from a lost ball on the par-four third, where he did well to salvage a bogey, one of two dropped shots for the day.

The Ulsterman will be eager to make ground on Friday, but he knows this is not a course to take risks. The seven-time Race to Dubai winner would be content with being on the leader’s shoulder when the playoffs begin in the UAE next month.

“Eugenio got off to a good start,” McIlroy said. “I have to concentrate on myself. I know a good week here will set me up well for the last two weeks in the Middle East.

“My track record in the Middle East is really good. 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.”

Defending champion Tommy Fleetwood double bogeyed the last to shoot two under, while Bob MacIntyre holds a share of fifth place at four under. LIV Golf members Tom McKibbin and Thomas Detry join Chacarra in a tie for second at five under.