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 a 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 anyway 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 maybe 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.
