Dubai: Shubhankar Sharma’s quest to become the first Indian to win the European Tour’s Rookie of the Year award started slowly at the season-ending DP World Tour Championship on Thursday with a one over par 73.

The 22-year-old from Chandigarh is the top ranked rookie in the Race to Dubai money-list placed 26th, just over €400,000 clear of next placed rookie Lucas Herbert and almost a further €550,000 clear of Sam Horsfield.

Both Herbert and Horsfield need to finish inside the top three while hoping Sharma finishes last. If Sharma finishes inside the top-20, Herbert and Horsfield would need to finish inside the top two.

On day one at Jumeirah Golf Estates, Sharma ended up tied for 47 with England’s Horsfield both on one over par, while Australia’s Herbert finished a stroke behind on two over at tied for 52.

It was good for Sharma that his rivals didn’t race ahead, but he was nevertheless unhappy with his opening round.

“I had a great start but I’m not too happy with the way it finished,” said Sharma, who was three under through five, before ending the front nine with two bogies.

He then bogeyed twice after the turn before a birdie-bogey birdie-bogey combination over the last five.

“I made some silly three putts on the front nine and then on the back nine I was trying hard but still couldn’t get the pace of the greens and made some more three putts.

“Even on the last one I was off the green, but would still count it as a three putt. Whenever you make five three putts you’re not too happy but otherwise it wasn’t too bad, I just need to get that right and it will get better tomorrow.

“I definitely feel there is still a low round in me and that can come tomorrow or the day after, even Sunday, so I just have to be patient, it’s a four-day tournament and I’ll try and make a good comeback tomorrow.”

Sharma burst onto the scene by winning the co-sanctioned Jo’Burg Open last December, which earned the Asian Tour player his card on the European Tour for this season. He then won the Malaysian Open just two months later and ends this first year on tour with those two wins and five top 10 finishes. He currently tops the Asian Order of Merit standings by US$134,000 with six events remaining.

“I’m happy to have made it here,” he said of the season-ending event, where only the top-60 qualify. “I couldn’t have thought about it this time last year, so I’m definitely really happy with how the season has been, I just want to finish on a strong note and the next three days will dictate that.”

Of the rookie prize, he added: “If I can finish as Rookie of the Year it will be amazing, you can only do it once in your career and if I can get that honour and the Asian Tour Order of Merit is on the line as well. So, if I can get both that will be great.”