Spain's Alejandro Canizares claimed the lead after a first round of the DP World Tour Championship that did little to change the battle to end the season as European No.1.
Canizares completed a six-under-par 66 at Jumeirah Golf Estates to lead by one from Thailand's Kiradech Aphibarnrat and Australia's Marcus Fraser, with Race to Dubai leader Henrik Stenson a shot further back alongside Jamie Donaldson and Rafael Cabrera-Bello.
Stenson admitted he lost focus to three-putt the 18th for his only bogey of the day, but did enough to suggest his nearest challengers for the money-list title will be hard pressed to overhaul him despite continuing to battle a wrist injury.
Playing partner Justin Rose, who needs to finish fifth or better, carded a two-under-par 70, while third-placed Graeme McDowell returned a 72 and fourth-placed Ian Poulter a 69.
"It has been a lot of hard work all season and I just let my focus slip on the last," said Stenson, who is looking to become the first player to win the PGA Tour's FedEx Cup and Race to Dubai in the same year.
"That sucks, but I am still in good shape and playing nicely. The guys are running on fumes so everybody is looking forward to getting done. You can't win a tournament on Thursday but you can certainly play your way out of it. I would have taken four under at the start of the day."
Poulter believes he is playing the best golf of his career after finishes of 15th, second and fifth in the first three events of the inaugural Final Series, results which have given him a chance of overhauling Stenson and collecting on a 100 dollar bet, at 10/1, with his rival and neighbour in Lake Nona in Orlando.
The Ryder Cup star carded four birdies and one bogey in his opening 69, but was frustrated at missing a number of chances to be higher up the leaderboard.
"I am annoyed," Poulter said. "I made two putts which were outside birdie chances and took a couple more but the rest were missed. I am frustrated but happy to be only three behind [the lead]. I need to continue to be aggressive and see if I can nick it at the end. It's a good mix to be really angry being three under par and still being in there for the next three days."
Former world No.1 Rory McIlroy had to settle for a one-under 71 after being three under for his first four holes. Scott Jamieson carded a 73 while fellow-Scot Stephen Gallacher was lying second bottom of the field after a disappointing 77.
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