Young Angad Vir Singh Bajwa missed two targets out of 75, to be placed 11th on count back as the men's skeet shooting event got underway here on Sunday.
The 25-year-old 2019 Asian Championships gold medallist was tied on 73 with seven other shooters after three rounds of 25 each, and stands a good chance of making it to the six-shooter final to be held on Monday.
In skeet, three rounds of 25 shots each are held on the opening day, while two more rounds of 25 each are held on the second day to decide the six finalists.
But with two shooters -- Eric Delaunay of France and Vincent Hancock of the United States -- killing all 75 birds on Sunday, and five marksmen on 74, things could become tough for the Indian even if he misses a single shot out of 50 on Monday.
Competing at the Asaka Shooting range on Sunday, Angad had scores of 25, 24, 24 in the first three series.
Compatriot Mairaj Ahmad Khan, the oldest marksman in the 15-member Indian shooting contingent at the Olympics at 45, shot 71 to be in placed 25th out of the 30 shooters in fray.
