Tag: 2024 The Open

The Open contender Daniel Brown really hopes his parents didn’t catch him smoking on the course

Daniel Brown is just enjoying life – ripping heaters and driving balls at one of golf’s four major championships.

Despite warnings from doctors, a lot of folks still like to puff on a cigar or cigarette when they’re out on the golf course. And professionals are no different.

It’s well documented that two-time major winner John Daly likes to rip a few darts and throw back some Diet Coke while he’s on the course. More recently, LPGA player Charley Hull was seen smoking while signing autographs in a viral video. In other sports, Oregon football coach Dan Lanning puffed on a stogie while declaring he wouldn’t take the Alabama job, and LSU’s Alexis Morris took time to recreate Joe Burrow’s iconic cigar celebration photo.

So yeah, some folks still like to smoke.

One of them is Daniel Brown, who has surprisingly risen to contention entering the final day of The Open at Royal Troon. Through three days of play, Brown, 29, is three-under and tied for second place entering Sunday’s final. This is the first major that Brown has played in and qualified just three weeks ago. His brother is his caddy.

And as Brown walked Royal Troon on Saturday, he smoked a couple of cigarettes and took selfies with fans.

Daniel Brown is just enjoying life – ripping heaters and driving balls at one of golf’s four major championships.

But please, don’t tell his parents.

Brown said Saturday:

“I only really do it when I’m golfing, to be honest, so I suppose it could be a coping mechanism. … They do know, but I don’t do it in front of them.”

The Open 2024: Who is Daniel Brown? 5 things to know about the Englishman atop leaderboard

Daniel Brown has become an overnight celebrity after the first two rounds of his major tournament debut

The top of the leaderboard at The Open at Royal Troon features plenty of familiar names — and one that may look a bit strange even to the most avid golf fans.

Daniel Brown (no, not The Da Vinci Code author) finished his second round on Friday at 5-under par and solidly in second place behind Shane Lowry.

While stars like Tiger Woods, Wyndham Clark and Cameron Smith missed the cut at the final major of the year, Brown seems to have found his footing on the windy and wet links course.

So who is the weekend contender for the 152nd Open Championship? Here are five things to know.

1. He’s a 29-year-old from Northallerton, England

Heading into The Open, Brown ranked No. 272 in the Official World Golf Ranking, so it’s really alright to admit you had never heard of him before The Open. Most golf fans hadn’t been given a reason to know him.

2. Dan Brown is playing in his first major tournament

Which is also the second reason many had never heard of him before. Brown is making his major debut in the United Kingdom’s biggest golf tournament and he made it through Thursday with a bogey-free round to hold the outright lead at 6-under.

But it’s not the first time Brown has been to The Open. As teenager, Brown got to attend The Open at Royal Lytham & St. Annes in 2012 as Ernie Els won his second Claret Jug. If Brown was excited then, imagine how he feels now.

3. Brown only qualified for The Open three weeks ago

Maybe that’s helped him stay loose and not overthink things. Only 16 spots were available in a 36-hole final qualifying event for The Open and it took Brown sinking a 20-foot birdie putt on the 36th hole to secure his spot. After facing that type of pressure, playing The Open may feel less daunting.

But the story gets a bit more wild when you look at Brown’s recent form. In his last eight starts on the DP World Tour, the Englishman has made the cut just once — that was at last week’s Genesis Scottish Open.

4. Daniel Brown’s brother is caddying for him at The Open

Ben Brown, Daniel’s younger brother, also tried to qualify for The Open but missed out on a spot in the field. He’s still walking the course inside the ropes anyways thanks to his Daniel, who has been relying on him plenty this week.

“I like having him on the bag,” Brown said. “He’s good at reading greens, and he’s obviously a good golfer himself. So he can give good advice. To share sort of my first major with him on the bag is nice.”

5. Brown could become the third golfer to win a major debut in the last 100 years

That’s how improbable these first two days have been at Royal Troon.

Only Keegan Bradley (2011 PGA Championship) and Ben Curtis (2003 Open Championship) have won their major debut, but a win by Brown this week may be even more improbable.

Bradley already had nine Top 25 finishes (including a win) earlier in the PGA Tour season before claiming his major victory. Curtis, meanwhile, was a 300-1 underdog at The Open in 2003. Brown entered The Open at more than double that length at 750-1 at BetMGM.