Jon Rahm may have moved to the top of the Race to Dubai Rankings Presented by Rolex during day one of the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai but he knows that will not matter if he is not on top come Sunday.
The Spaniard entered the week third in the battle to become Europe's Number One and when he made the sixth birdie of a bogey free opening 66 on the 15th, he had overtaken Bernd Wiesberger and Tommy Fleetwood to lead the way.
Fleetwood birdied the 15th himself to join Rahm at six under and top the standings but a closing eagle from Rory McIlroy knocked them both out of second for the tournament and left Wiesberger back on top despite being seven shots off the lead - such is the advantage he has built over the season.
That is the kind of see-sawing we could be seeing all week as the 2019 Race to Dubai reaches a thrilling conclusion, and Rahm insists his focus will stay purely on the big prize on Sunday.
"The only time that it matters is when the last putt is made," he said. "Up until then it's all possibilities and probabilities.
"I'll just try to look at what I have coming up the next three days, that's about it. Get some good rest today and hopefully I can keep it going tomorrow.
"It was a round where there wasn't much stress going on. I hit it really good throughout the round, putted great, felt really comfortable with every part of my game."
Fleetwood bogeyed the 17th to drop to five under after a 67, the highlight of which was a spectacular eagle from the fairway on the par four first.
"I hit a great drive and then I actually didn't expect the nine to reach the pin," he said. "I knew it would be so close, a good shot. I can't see it so you just take people's reaction but it was the perfect start.
"I didn't feel too up or down, I was just happy with the execution of the golf shots. It's nice, last event of the year, only four days left, so make the most of a good start.
"You can only put yourself out of it on day one. There's a lot more to do, there's 54 holes now. There are great players up there and all I can do is do my stuff.
"I've got three days of work left until the end of the year, just make the most of them. Stay very present, keep doing my best on every golf shot and see how we can get on.
"I would love to be up there come Sunday but that's a very long way away."
