TROON, Scotland — You’re not alone in thinking he’d go away.
Everyone expected Daniel Brown to leave, except for Daniel Brown.
Brown shot a 6-under 65 in the opening round on Thursday to take a one-stroke lead, but he was expected to make way for the stars on the leaderboard for Friday’s British Open at Royal Troon.
Brown persevered in difficult conditions in Friday’s second round, shooting a 1-over 72 to finish two strokes behind leader Shane Lowry after 36 holes and earn a spot in the final pairing for Saturday’s third round, at which point he was expected to win.
Brown isn’t gone.
The 29-year-old British traveller enters the final round of the 152nd British Open at three under par, one stroke behind leader Billy Horschel with 18 holes to go.
“I think a lot of people probably thought I’d be shaking and really nervous this morning,” Brown said after shooting 73 on Saturday, “but it was totally fine. I’m proud of how I played, but the last two holes hurt me a little bit because I didn’t hit too many bad shots. Links golf beat me on those two holes, but overall I’m happy with it.”
Brown bogeyed the 17th hole and then had some bad luck on the 18th hole when his tee shot came to rest on the edge of a pot bunker, forcing him into an awkward position in the sand. He did the right thing, took the punishment and hit it into the fairway.
But he compounded his problems by hitting his third shot into a greenside pot bunker for a double bogey and losing his one-stroke lead.
but …
“I’m still in it,” Brown said. “It was tough. I’m a little disappointed with how the last two holes went. I played really well to get here. It’s kind of disappointing to end it like this.”
“I guess I was a little frustrated after the last two holes, but if anyone had told me I would be one or two strokes behind going into the final round of the British Open, I would have ripped them away.”
Brown, who is playing in his first career major, was teased this week for sharing his name with the author of “The Da Vinci Code.”
He’s not a writer, but if he wins the prize on Sunday, a writer might write a book about him.
Brown qualified this week after sinking a 20-foot putt on the final hole of 36-hole qualifying. He came into the tournament having missed the cut in seven of his previous eight appearances on the DP World Tour.
These are key elements in the story of Cinderella.
Twenty years ago at Troon, an unknown traveller named Todd Hamilton appeared to be a random tourist when he played in a playoff against Ernie Els, who had won the U.S. Open twice and had won the Claret Jug at Muirfield two years earlier.
Hamilton was expected to crumble under the pressure.
He didn’t.
He glared at Els and took the Claret Jug away.
“The way I played today, I feel like I can play well tomorrow,” Brown said.
The biggest day of Brown’s professional career awaits on Sunday.
“I’m a bit of a realist,” Brown said after Friday’s round. “I’m not going to get ahead of myself and think, ‘Oh, I’m first in the British Open, I’m second in the British Open.’ There’s still 36 holes to go. I could have a good round tomorrow, I could have a bad round on Sunday. You never know what’s going to happen.”
He’s hoping to have a good round on Saturday and avoid a “terrible” round on Sunday.
Brown said he would “sneak” a cigarette or two during rounds and that it was “a bit of a bad habit.” [as] It’s a coping mechanism.
During the third round. Getty Images
When asked why he sneaked it away, he said: “My parents are here. A lot of people are watching. I don’t know how people will take it. [I smoke]but not in front of them.”
After his round on Saturday, he was heading to a rented house with some friends who, he said, were “drinking a lot” and “not me.”
“I keep it pretty clean and the kids have fun playing cricket, going in the hot tub and having a beer at night – it’s a lot of fun,” he said.
Luckily for Brown and his crew, the fun is only just beginning.
“Yeah,” he said. “I hope it works out.”
